May I every day, in every way
Work to make the world a little better than when I came into it
(Buddhist Prayer)
One of the "concerns" that many social entrepreneurs raise in conversation is "Am I really making a difference". The wonderful Ben Francoise, Owner of Saints Coffee reminds them "Focus on the one individual - have I changed the world for them - and let that be your guide." (You can watch his interview here.)
This year I decided to up my fundraising game, and from January to date my days seem to have been "one big challenge"...but a challenge that has brought a lot of personal growth. It has seen me sleep outside for HOPE; become a "pit girl" and walk on Fire for the Lewis Foundation; swim open water in a 24 hr relay and swim 10k for Level Water; and swim 44 miles over 3 months and most recently complete 1million steps in 3 months (which, along with swimming and catching covid, turned out to be harder than I thought!) for Diabetes UK. My final event is my production of Steel Magnolias also in support of Diabetes UK. At this time of writing (Sept 28th 2022), I have raised just shy of £1300 for my chosen charities, and donated around £350 myself to supporting friends' causes in 2022.
Organisations work to change the world
Supporting HOPE carried through my fundraising in the Pandemic, through which I was able to raise awareness of "the business of homelessness" as well as the work of this amazing local Northampton charity who not only provides shelter, but training and support to turn a life around. I just love The Lewis Foundation whose gifts of care packages to adults fighting cancer remind them - I've got your back. Level Water provides swimming lessons to children with disabilities - building water confidence and an opportunity for a place where they can feel just like everyone else. And of course Diabetes UK is working towards "a world where diabetes can do no harm" (my mum passed from Type 1 complications, my dad and my dog are both blind from diabetes, and my dad is also on dialysis).
...we can work to change our corner of it
These are big goals...but within each one are person stories where someone has benefitted:
Pete - whose life was consumed by drugs until someone from Hope reached out, and now he helps others take those steps forward.
Marion (and others featured) - whose gift bag from The Lewis Foundation reminded her that she was seen and thought of.
...and let's go a little more personal for Diabetes UK...not only do my dad, and dog always benefit from insulin, and digital blood sugar reader technology - but the 1 million steps challenge brought a team of 7 of us together to get walking - as much for our own health, and often we found family would join us and reap the benefits too. Many, I hope, will continue after the challenge...I know I now adore doing 5 - 7k walks around the lake, and walking has been my fitness saviour when I caught covid and couldn't swim, go to the gym, nor run! One of the team who completed her million steps a few days back posted photos of the many beautiful places her walking had brought her, and before that the team had found it so funny to motivate each other with their less exciting walks - featuring roads and alleys...it was really inspiring to me how everyone really and truly rose to the challenge and shone.
...then Level Water earned me my fins...but amongst the blood, sweat and tears of the training, this was the story that moved me most. The person who organised the 24 hour swim, Mark Fox, had got into the water because of the challenge of the Dart10k, and he was thrilled to see the organiser and tell her at the start line - hey, I'm here because of you. Well, I started swimming because I signed up to do the Diabetes UK "Swim 22"...turns out that very same person was on my radio show to talk about the 24 hour swim and mentioned he'd organised Swim 22 originally - "You're kidding!" I said "That's what got me into swimming in the first place". I'd been able to do for him what he'd done for his inspiration.
So - my challenge to you
Take a moment to reflect on your year so far. Perhaps you've completed challenges? Perhaps you've overcome something you didn't know would happen...
Try this:
I want you to ask yourself:
Where am I now?
Where did I start?
What were the highs and lows?
What have I learned?
What am I grateful for?
What next?
Because through that you know that not only CAN you get there, but you have a blueprint for doing so through tough times before.
And then:
Look around you...if that's too "woolly" - look back on any emails, messages, thank yous that have made your heart sing.
For me, the dear friend who smashed the million step target before the rest of us is not only keeping up her stepping, but she also sent me a gift voucher for some leggings to say thank you for the motivation. On a non fundraising note, I had a message from a friend for whom my husband took the wedding photos which read "Words cannot express how thankful we are..."...excellent I thought - because after the amount you've given US over these last 17 years, this is the least we can do to begin to repay YOU!! And while maybe I've not had a direct impact, as a coach, teacher and director, I look at my clients, my students and my casts and think - aren't you amazing people...I'm grateful I could play a tiny part in your journey.
Has the world changed since I began to try to do things to affect it? Well, given that I said in a meeting this morning "I was delighted to collaborate with that brand, because after 10 years someone was actually putting what I said in my PhD into practice!"...the answer is, probably not loads...and in some ways I see some areas as having gotten sadly worse. But then I look at my immediate little corner and I see individual, personal changes - whether it's just a little more confidence, or a recognition of self worth, or the first steps being taken to pursue a longed for goal...and that's wonderful.
And one more thing...
So one more thing you can do today is to reflect on who or what made a difference to you...perhaps they were your catalyst for change, perhaps they believed in you when others did not, perhaps they saw who you are not who you were...and tell them.
Remind them in their quest to change the world...they sure changed yours.
Dr Audrey Tang is a chartered psychologist and author with a specialty in the practical "how to take action", rather than just giving explanation and advice. Listen to her podcast Retrain Your Brain here; or her Radio Show "The Wellbeing Lounge", and catch her practical masterclasses Psych Back to Basics on DisruptiveTV & Energy Top Up for resilience. For self development tools based within positive psychology: click Her YouTube Channel . Twitter/IG @draudreyt
Order The Leader's Guide to Resilience or The Leader's Guide to Mindfulness or Be A Great Manager Now
Audrey's current fundraising links are:
Steel Magnolias (Diabetes UK) (Oct 21/22) For Tickets (here)