We All Have Time to Do Good Things
The following is adapted from The Extraordinary UnOrdinary You, by Simone Knego.
I hope you recognize just how extraordinary you are, and how your life is anything but ordinary. You are doing good, every single day, without even knowing it. The smiles you give, the meals you make, the doors you hold open, the words of encouragement you give, are all making a difference to the people you are doing them for.
Once we each become aware of the good that we are already doing in the world and recognize that even the little things we do can make a really big difference, we can intentionally make the choice to smile more, encourage more, love more, and to live more for others. That is how we can change the world.
My journey has taught me that this life, and finding our path in it, is about making choices. And every day, the small and seemingly inconsequential choices we make can change the world, starting with our own corner of it.
This life is all about the journey. It’s never really about the destination. Just because you don’t see the finish line, doesn’t mean you should throw your hands in the air, give up, and stop moving forward.
Life isn’t about reaching the finish line; it’s about all the things that happen along the way. It’s about putting one foot in front of the other and taking one step at a time into an unknown world of possibilities. It is about climbing difficult mountains and finding the strength to keep moving forward. It is about discovering your own journey and owning your own path.
Whether it’s in your work, the work you want to do, or the work you do within the walls of your own home in developing and strengthening your own family — your journey is valuable, it is specific to you, and it is taking you exactly where you need to be.
Everyone has priorities. We have to live that way, or we would never get the important things done. But I have found that oftentimes we set things as priorities that really don’t have to be, and then we use the excuse that we don’t have time to do anything else. We can’t go out there and help others, because we just don’t have time for it.
This kind of scenario reminds me of my kids. They’ll tell me that they don’t have time to study for a test, and then I’ll catch them watching a video on their phone. If they have the time to watch a video, they have time to study for their test. It’s simply a matter of eliminating distractions and using time wisely.
We have the time to do so many good things. But a lot of our time is used up in distractions that really don’t get us anywhere or have any positive effect on our life, or the world around us. Our time is about choices. We all have the same amount of time in a day, and if we really want to do something, we can do it. We just have to make that choice and make the time.
Working together with other people, figure out a way to make the time to accomplish the things you feel driven to accomplish. With your priorities in life, there are going to be things that other people can help you with so that you can do all the things that you want to do. But you have to choose to want to do them. You have to be willing to ask for help, and you have to be willing to share your vision with others.
We all have just one journey through this life. And regardless of the amount of time we’ve been given, we can spend it with our heads down, or we can choose to look up and see the world and the diverse people who surround us. We can choose to reach out with our hearts as well as our hands.
Despite the differences, each of us is left with the same question in this life: What will your journey be?
For more advice on making a difference in the world, you can find The Extraordinary UnOrdinary You on Amazon.
Simone Knego leads an ordinary life filled with extraordinary moments. As a wife, mother to six children (and three dogs), and a serial entrepreneur, she splits her time between her family, businesses, and personal growth. She’s realized the small choices she makes every day to do good actually have the power to inspire others. Simone shared that message during speaking opportunities she received as co-chair of the National Young Leadership Cabinet for the Jewish Federations of North America. With this book, she hopes to inspire you to embrace life’s ups and downs and realize the impact you’re making on the world.
