Staying positive takes work.
Nobody just wakes up super excited about every part of their life each morning…even less so in winter.
But moaning and being a curmudgeon also takes work…the one is just better for your health than the other one.
The truth is, most of us have a choice about how you approach your day, and this choice not only influences your own life but probably leaves those around your feeling better or worse depending on which vibe you choose.
We get it…many many many things suck right now.
Your rands just do not go that far anymore, we hear horror stories of the amazon burning down and heatwaves killing people, floods and other climate disasters. Not to mention that our very own Eskom can’t keep the light on for 24hours in a row.
It almost seems like giving up is the path of least resistance. Curl up in a ball, check out, and doom scroll until your phone battery dies. Easy, right?
Well, what about going in the other direction?
There is a very selfish reason for you to help others.
It has been scientifically proven that altruism and charitable giving actually help the giver, at least on an emotional level, even more than it helps the receiver.
Let’s get selfish this winter!
The world, the elements and our bathroom scales are already against us in winter. So why not focus on your own joy this July? It’s your turn to feel good. To find happiness, fulfilment and a bit of joi de vivre. How do I do this, you ask?
Easy! Find a worthy cause and dedicate your entire being to championing it!
Whether it’s a blanket drive, a soup kitchen, a winter school tutoring programme for teenagers, volunteering at an animal shelter, making up care packages for hospitals or old age homes…Find the cause that speaks to you, and selfishly use it to make yourself feel better.
Being selfish can solve so many problems!
Do you have a nagging family member that constantly steals your free time? Shamelessly blow them off to go cuddle pooches at the SPCA.
A colleague that wants you to work late. Nope – you have an online tutoring class to present, and it starts at right now.
Want to spoil yourself with the newest fashion in warm winter wear? Donate everything in your cupboard to a clothes bank and go on a guilt free shopping trip.
Need bougie new blankets and bedding? Give all last winter’s blankets and throws to a charity for people who are experiencing homelessness.
Who knows…In the end you will feel better about doing something instead of just hibernating for the coming months, and you know what? You might just end up making a real difference in the lives of those less fortunate than you.
Now that you’ve been shamelessly selfish, it’s time for the truth.
You are more fortunate than most of the people in this country, and the world in general. (Really)
Self-less is the new Selfish
If these “selfish” acts seem a bit frivolous and you don’t like the tone of this discussion – maybe it’s time to get up, and take a good, hard look around you.
Maybe it’s time to be shamelessly self-less this winter.
Give thanks for your immense privileges and give a hand to the masses who need it so desperately.
