Routines. We all have them, don't we? It's our set way of doing things. Routines are important. They serve a purpose in our lives. Without a daily routine, I perhaps wouldn't earn a paycheck or be a successful parent. But routines can also make us very complacent, I think. It's very easy in today's world to come home from work, get settled in for the night, and go about life in our own little worlds. This is "normal". I get up every morning. I make the necessary coffee. I get ready for work. I get the kids ready for school. Off we go for a full and busy day. And then we get home in the evening and prepare to do it all again tomorrow.
For myself, this monotonous daily routine can be maddening. Day in and day out we many times get caught up in petty work drama or relationship drama or some other scandalous affair. How many times have you actually took a step back outside of your bubble to think about something besides YOU? This is not an article of condemnation, just one to hopefully make all of us think. I am just as guilty as the next guy. I mean, there are people on this planet starving to death or their homes being bombed at this very moment. Someone out there is dying of an incurable disease. Or worse, there's a mother out there somewhere who has just had to bury one of her children. Boom. That one hits like a gut shot for me.
There is some really major stuff going on in this world outside of my little safe zone. There are people who need help and hope all over this world. And here I sit some days, complaining because my dryer is broke or I had a flat tire. You see, when you shift your perspective to a bigger train of thought - suddenly your "woes" feel trivial. And that's humbling.
Now, what to do with this new-found knowledge, you ask? Here's the funny part. You're probably NOT going to change much. Because, let's be real here, what CAN you do that's going to save the entire world? Nothing. Nada. Zippity doo da! The world will continue to spin and sometimes fall to pieces. But, your job is this: whatever your calling is, you need to find it. You need to find it and you need to DO IT. There is a greater purpose for all of us being alive than to just get up every morning, make the coffee, and go to work. I believe we are all here for various and very specific reasons. What is yours? You can't do everything, but you can do something. And that last sentence is profound if you consider it.
Maybe this is the first time you have considered thinking bigger. Don't worry. It takes some time and thought to get into the habit. I was both blessed and cursed to have these big thoughts at quite a young age. My challenge, however, was finding my purpose. It wasn't until recently that I figured out that my 'job' has something to do with writing and sharing all of these crazy big thoughts with you, the readers.
So, here's an assignment from yours truly. Find whatever it is in this life that moves you and do it amazingly well. Do it with kindness and consideration for others. "Empathy" is a word that is getting lost in translation these days. EMPATHY is what the whole world needs more of. We need to be kind even when it's hard to do so. In many situations, we have no idea what someone else is going through, yet we are quick to judge them anyway. And this needs to stop. There is a greater good out there that needs all of us to be the best version of ourselves. This is the magic of thinking bigger.