Inspire your environment
Why giving is more important than receiving
Why is it good that you exist? Have you ever thought about this? If you look at your answers to this question, you will see that quite often other people appear in them. If you want to live an inspiring life, you will inspire others, and you need people to inspire you. I have had good experiences with not always thinking about how I can benefit from my environment, but how others can benefit from me. Find out why giving is more important than receiving.
Here's what the research says
A Harvard long-term study tried to answer the question: What do people need for their long-term well-being? The answer is summed up in two words: Reliable relationships. We need people to be there for us - which, in return, means we'll be there for them, too. It is more blessed to give than to receive, as the Bible says. This may seem illogical, because one could assume that when we take care of ourselves first, we have survival advantages compared to selfless people. In Fact, another large-scale U.S. study led by Stephanie Brown of the Institute for Social Research a few years ago proves the opposite. And this finding is still highly relevant. People who don't just focus on themselves, but help others by acting selflessly, live longer - regardless of their income, education level, stress level or personality structure. The reason for this is that the brain rewards selfless actions with good feelings, which can similarly be triggered by good food, for example.
Why the world needs you
How do artists manage to leave their mark on entire eras and, in connection with that, inspire people for years and decades? They use the inspiration they get to create something, and thus inspire others. It's a cycle that's bound to change the world a little bit. I think I can make a difference. I'm well aware that there are many scientists who say that one individual doesn't make a difference. They say that if person X hadn't done it, there would have been someone else who'd done it. So it is more or less irrelevant whether one individual exists or not. Perhaps that is the case. Nevertheless, I refuse to think of it that way. Because this perspective makes life completely ineffective. But I'm sure, it makes a difference how we live. There's a difference between people who think they don't make a difference and people who are convinced of their impact. When we use what we have been given in talents, strengths and thoughts to inspire others, we make a small difference in this world.
How to become an inspiration to others
Don't just think about what you can get, think about what you can give. Practice selflessness. Don't expect people to do something for you, but consider what you can do. Be an output in this world, for others. Then, by the way, your focus will automatically shift. If you feel you can make a difference or change something in people, your sense will increase. The great thing is: Inner strength is not attached to just one thing. It is woven like a large carpet of many individual parts. It develops inside you, but it shows on the outside. That is a very important factor. Those who have inner strength know, that it is not enough to keep it to themselves. They go out into the world with what he or she has.
