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Everyone is going through something. Whether it’s an issue to resolve at home or a work-related stress that demands relief, everybody has their own burden. And when people are stuck managing their own exhaustion, kindness and compassion can get lost.

People become so focused on resolving what’s at hand that they miss the bigger picture. The world is far too big to get stuck stressing over things so minuscule. This doesn’t mean these problems should be taken for granted. Instead, this calls for people to not miss what truly matters: how can they make a lasting impact on the world?

Making a Difference Is a Heavy Burden

Everyone thinks about changing the world. One way or another, they know they have a purpose to serve, and a way to achieve this is by making a lasting impact.

However, the idea of doing something so consequential can be daunting.

To make a difference in a world with billions of people does sound intimidating. It’s enough to make anyone feel small against its vastness and those around them. Thus, it’s no wonder why people often feel exhausted and consumed even before they’re able to plan what needs to be done.

Often, the idea that to make a lasting impact, they would have to catch everyone’s attention snakes into everybody’s mind. This forms a misconstrued perception that people would have to do something grand to make a difference.

As in the words of Helen Keller, “I am only one, but I still am one; I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and just because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”

This serves as a reminder that things need not be grand to make a lasting impact. If people wish to make a difference, they can always start small. After all, these trivial matters, seemingly invisible against the grand scheme of things, add up and change the world.

How Can One Person Make a Lasting Impact on the World?

This is the billion-dollar question. However, author Susan Aurelia Gitelson answers this through her book, Giving Is Not Just for the Very Rich. At its core, the book conveys one simple yet life-changing lesson: everyone is capable of giving, and often, what they offer is what changes the world.

These practical steps toward a more altruistic life inspire people to open themselves to compassion and generosity. It reminds people to be selfless, not by zeroing themselves financially but by constantly giving themselves the choice of helping others. Susan Gitelson highlights that the essence of generosity isn’t measured in the digits one shares with others but in their intentions throughout the process.

In a way, she is teaching people that in order to make a lasting impact on the world, all people need to do is be kind to one another. It all starts somewhere, and change begins in compassion.

What are some ways people contribute to this impact?

Listen to Others

There is no value spent or lost in listening. People don’t also lose anything in listening to how others feel and what they have to say. Giving doesn’t only revolve around money. Often, what people need the most is time and a listening ear. If someone is having a hard time, listen sincerely. A person who is heard is a person who is healed, and they can pay this gesture forward.

The butterfly effect, as how others call it. When people touch someone’s heart, they can pass the kindness around until it becomes something consequential. This is how they make a lasting impact.

Give Without Expecting Anything

A fundamental concept discussed in Susan Gitelson’s book is that of charity, an unconditional act of helping others. There is an evident connection between this and making a difference. When people give without seeking anything in return, they don’t limit what they provide. Hence, the product becomes far more consequential.

Again, this doesn’t have to be through money. This can mean they help others without needing reciprocation. They love unconditionally and are generous in the kindness they show. The gestures they give grow across the people receiving them, changing the world one person at a time.

Use Talents for Good

All people need to make a lasting impact is themselves. They don’t have to plan anything serious. Instead, they simply have to show up and do what they’re capable of doing. Any action as routine or as minuscule as making someone laugh is already powerful enough to make a difference.

Everybody is given something to leave an impression on the world. They’re all equipped with skills to etch themselves, maybe not in history, but in the lives of others. The choice they have to make is whether they would use these to do good and leave a lasting positive impact.

Never Forget Common Courtesy

Nice gestures will always go a long way. The smallest act will help and will be repaid. When people listen or pay attention to someone struggling, they may not change the world but will change how the world looks for that person. This result alone is already powerful enough. This can be a challenge, especially with people juggling their own problems.

However, there is always something kind to do and give every day. Before starting their day, people must ask, “How can I help someone?” This question will not only help them but also make a lasting impact.

If you’re interested in knowing what other gestures can be done to make a positive change, grab a copy of Susan Aurelia Gitelson’s Giving Is Not Just for the Very Rich now!