Back to Good

As a driver for Uber and Lyft, I get the chance to meet all kinds of interesting people from various corners of the world, and sometimes I get some pretty good "nuggets" of information and advice. Yesterday, was no exception.

I was giving this young lady a ride across town, and took advantage of an opportunity to share my "This Way Out" project with her. She seemed to like it well enough, and complimented my efforts. I confessed to her, and those of you reading this blog entry, that my project has somewhat of an ulterior motive. Because it is not only my way of helping others by revealing the good that exists in the world, but also helps me realize it for myself.

Lately, I was finding it difficult to see any light or positives, which weighed on me even more, because I pride myself as being a "glass half-full" kind of person. Not to say that the realities of the world had not weighed on me before, just that more recently, they proved to be especially hard to bare. So I found myself getting into a funk. Until I came up with the idea for "This Way Out," and all of its potentials. At which point, I started to feel much better.

Well, the young lady I had with me said this; Creative people have a tendency to view the world in a way that can either fuel, or drain the soul. If they are exposed to negative energies, it can weigh especially heavy on their minds. In her experience, the sure-fire way of getting back into the positive was to "give back." She goes on a streak of good deeds, or charitable work, or anything that involves helping others.

For me, it was a light-bulb moment. Because, although I would never classify myself as creative, I do consider myself as someone who can allow the problems of the world to swirl around in my mind to the point of depression, I guess. And, you know what. Giving back, good deeds, or some sort of purposeful task that occupies my thoughts, always gets things back on track.

So, I now pass on that advice to whomever might be reading this blog entry today. If you find yourself "swirling" in negative thoughts and feelings. A "good" distraction is about as good a "fix" as you can get. If you don't have a hobby, or task, that can occupy your mind. Try getting involved in some sort of charitable work. Do some good deeds for your friends, or the community. And no good deed is too small. Maybe you hold a door open for a senior citizen, or find a way to compliment a friend, or volunteer for a community service group. To me, the smiles you get in return make all the difference. Your "receipt" for a job well done. And for me, all I need to get me "back into the good."