Making a Positive Impact

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about impact. Making a difference in the lives of others and around the world. If there is only one thing I do in this life, I want to be sure that I impact the world in a positive manner and create a lasting impression on others to do the same.

Between a conversation with another passionate and inspired woman, volunteering this past weekend with our client KAUPA and watching the horrific treatment of dolphins in The Cove documentary, my mind can’t seem to leave this place of wondering where do I start? How do I, one single person, make a difference in all of these areas? Being green, cruelty to animals, pollution of our land and water, homelessness…? The list can go on and on!

I understand the concept of start small. Start with yourself and work outwards, effecting your family, community and country. Vote. Volunteer. Give. I get it… I really do, but I am simply not built for small changes alone. I truly believe that change starts at home and that making these shifts within myself is the most important first step. But then what? Yes, I can go down and clean the streams and streets. I can deliver food to the homeless and read to school kids. I can give my time to coach foster students in college and I can donate money when I’m able. These are good things that I will always do and they do make a difference. But based on who I am and what I wish to create in the world, it’s simply not enough.

My mom once told me a story involving her good friend and fellow nurse. This friend was teaching other nurses that art of caring for people at their bedsides through educational classes. Her mother told her that she needed to be the one at their bedside making the difference, not teaching some class. Her response was something along the lines of, “if I teach 20 nurses how to care for these individuals, I’ve made a much larger impact than I could one bedside at a time.”

Totally my point of view.

I’m too “high level” passionate about making a difference in the world to ever be effective in just one area. There are too many things that I wish to focus on and that makes me unable to commit myself entirely to one cause. Instead, I would prefer to build, or help build, opportunities for others to make a difference through organizations, businesses and programs. I want to create the opportunities to volunteer or donate. This is the direction in which StartupCorner is growing. It will be a way to positively impact the world through supporting, funding and partnering with those people who are actively working to make a difference.

As a designer, I also choose not to use my talents to sell products or services for the sake of making money. I am working to start either another company or a freelance venture that works exclusively with positive cause clients and with environmentally conscious vendors.

As for everything else… well, there’s just too much I have planned to share in one post. :)

Where are you passionate about making a difference?
What are you doing to support those causes?

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