With the beginning of a new year, comes the desire to make resolutions. We all need a fresh start from time to time and it’s a noble aspiration to want to make changes in your life whether it’s in the area of your finances, health, or relationships. However, it’s also easy for us to become discouraged and quit or forget about our goals altogether.
BUT
What if you didn’t quit your goals this year? What if you didn’t forget them? What if you actually made the change you’ve been wanting to make, and see the thing you’ve been wanting to see in your life? What if this year can be different than the year before?
Change is possible. It’s possible for your life, it’s possible for your family, and it’s possible for your community, but you have to start. The good news is, you can start where you are.
Sometimes, we put a high level pressure on ourselves to show up in ways that don’t realistically take into account our bandwidth. If you are a full-time working parent commuting to and from work 5 days a week, and living at soccer games every weekend, you might not have the same time at your disposal as someone who doesn’t commute or doesn’t have kids. While you might not have the same time as others, I bet you have some time.
In the face of life’s demands, we can be tempted to think that because we can’t do as much as we want, we shouldn’t do anything. We choose to make no changes, and underestimate the impact of little changes.
You can start by drinking one glass of water every day.
You can start by saving $50 a month.
You can start by reading one book on relationships, or listening to one audiobook.
There are a million ways to start somewhere. If you can implement a few tiny but meaningful changes, you will be astounded at what you can accomplish by the end of the year.
AND
Just like we can start where we are in our own individual lives to create change, we can also start where we are in helping to improve our communities. Everyone can do something to help those around them and make their community a better place to live.
You can start by smiling and saying hi to one unhoused person you see.
You can start by donating one pair of men’s pants.
You can start by volunteering one day a week.
You too, will be surprised by what can happen in your community and in the lives of those around you, when you decide to start doing something to help someone. SHARE Community has been able to make a monumental impact over the past four years (check out our progress report here!), but we wouldn’t have made it this far if those involved hadn’t been willing to start where they are.
We hope that this year, you find the courage to start!