I distinctly remember one day when I was feeling wholly in the dumps. It had been a long hard day already and I sat alone with loads of homework in front of me and no desire to do it. I felt uncared for, unqualified, and depressed. I knew in the back of my mind, for certain, that I had many people that loved me and supported me, but I was willingly focusing on the negative events the were happening. Ultimately, I was completely centered on myself and how much I didn’t want to deal with the misfortune I had. Unfortunately, I’ve found this is a very typical scene for a high school student.
If I were to change one thing that would help make the world a more caring place it would be to implement service and gratitude journals into the school system. This change would inspire and assist others in need of care, and would train people from a young age to think outside themselves. This would be particularly helpful when life seems to get dark. According to the World Health Association, suicide is the third leading cause of death for people ages 15-44 and, additionally, over 90% of suicides are committed by those who have mental diseases such as depression. By implementing service projects and gratitude journals into school systems across the world, the population would be raised to be more selfless and caring. The resources of how to better overcome and fight depression would be provided, thus, reducing the rates of suicide. People would care for others and would care more for themselves because of the satisfaction that comes from serving others and being grateful.
From a young age, I’ve been taught the power of selflessness. Am I perfect at it? Certainly not, but in that moment of weakness when I was allowing myself to feel sorry for myself and my large pile of homework, I remembered what I’d been taught about service and gratitude. I decided to act against my negative feelings. I got up and washed the sink full of dishes that my brother would’ve had to do, and I expressed my gratitude that I was able to get an education and that I had teachers that supported and helped me. In making these changes my attitude completely changed. I no longer had negative feelings toward myself or my situation, my brother was incredibly grateful for my help, and I was able to finish my homework with a positive attitude. Since that time, there have been many times I’ve used the same process with the same result.
Think of how much the world would improve if people were educated of the power of these resources. Instead of giving into the dark feelings of isolation, uselessness, and helplessness, we could lift others and express gratitude for the good we have which would chase away all of those destructive feelings. This simple change of mental focus would help solve nearly every problem in the world, and the change starts in training young people to have a selfless and positive mindset. Service and gratitude in the school system is the start to a more caring world.