6 Things You Can Do Right Now To Make Sure 2017 Is Better Than 2016

via Unsplash - Yingchou Han
via Unsplash – Yingchou Han

2016 is coming to an end, and as we think back on what happened, we are certain to recollect terror attacks, police shootings, Zika outbreak, new Ebola cases in Africa, Brexit, Syria, US election, the death of Prince, David Bowie, and Alan Rickman —these have been unrelenting turn around the calendar. With all these, we want to end the year on a positive note. Right?

We want to make a difference, however the issues are so enormous, where do we begin? We can’t change what has happened, and we can’t change the world, but there are many things that we can do to make (at least our immediate surroundings) better! We don’t have to be Mother Theresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, or Bill Gates, to make a difference.

  • Simply show up. This is the message of the book Showing Up for Life written by Bill Gates Sr. Every day of your life, be there! Put your soul into everything that you do, and before you know it, you are making a difference in the lives of people you work with, the people you will meet, and the eventual person you will become.
  • Be kind to others. In this busy world, people become self-consumed and forget that kindness goes a long way. If you receive a kind gesture from someone, pay it forward. Even if you are not treated kindly, still be kind to others. It’s always easier to be kind that to be a bi***. Kindness always has rippling outward benefits.
  • Get involved in development. Read up on global issues, and tell your friends and family about the things that matter to you. Know more about the Sustainable Development Goals and find something you are interested in. Find a purpose. It will make you feel connected to the world around you. 
  • Give clean water. Every day, 1,000 children under age 5 die from diarrhea caused by unsafe water. Your gift of clean water will also help in saving children suffering from the caused by parasites, worms, dysentery, and diarrhea.
  • Help End Polio. Millions of children around the world remain unvaccinated against preventable diseases like polio. Your gift will contribute to provide lifetime protection so children can grow up polio-free. We are on the brink of making history by eradicating the crippling disease polio – be part of history!
  • Stop malaria. Malaria steals one life every 60 seconds. By the time you finish reading this; malaria has killed three people already. Donate money to provide tablets of Anti-Malarial Drugs to children in malaria-prone communities.

If every person did just one of the things above – billions of acts of kindness, generosity, and social responsibility would take place — wouldn’t that make the world better? Every effort counts, regardless of how little and insignificant it might appear. Simply accomplish something, and do something good. And while you think of what to do next, share this blog on your social media accounts and spread the word! It feels great to do great! Thought Catalog Logo Mark

More From Thought Catalog