1) Look for ways you can help. The amazing Fred Rogers, one of my childhood heroes, famously said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping’.” He’s right and I always try to remember this myself. In addition to looking for the helpers (and appreciating and honoring them), we can all be helpers in both big and small ways. Whether we donate money, make phone calls, or simply reach out and share our good thoughts and prayers, there are always ways to help. And, being of service not only helps those we assist directly, it’s a way to act as a force for good, not matter what the situation may be.
4) Speak up with authenticity. There are lots of important things going on around us these days that are calling us to speak up – even and especially if we’re scared to do so. Speaking up is an important thing to do, takes a lot of courage, and can definitely be a way for us to be a force for good. However, it’s essential for us to be truly authentic when we speak up. I define authenticity as honesty – self-righteousness + vulnerability. Yes, it’s important for us to be honest. But, we must remove our self-righteousness (the idea that I’m “Right” with a capital “R” and those who see things differently than I do are “wrong”). And, we must add vulnerability (emotional exposure, risk, and uncertainty). If we’re willing to speak up in this authentic way, we can have real impact. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. so beautifully said, “We have very little morally persuasive impact with those who can feel our underlying contempt for them.”