In her book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Anne Lamott wrote, “a writer always tries, I think, to be part of the solution, to understand a little about life and to pass it on.” When reflecting on how to live like it matters after being asked to speak about it recently, I found these three things help the most.
- learn your story
- mind your habits
- and pass it on
Writers aren’t the only ones who want to pass it on. Whether we’re mindful of it or not, most of us live our lives in a way in which we’re passing it on. Making a difference. Paying it forward. Doing good unto others. Those are ways of passing it on.
I never get tired of telling this story. In my 20s I read John Maxwell’s book Developing the Leader Within You and it forever changed how I though about leadership. The main point of the book is a timeless truth: leadership is influence. In other words – how we live matters.
Day-to-Day Challenges
To live like it matters means understanding the significance of our ordinary daily lives. A lot of years ago, I issued Live Like It Matters challenges on my blog to remind myself and others of the difference our day-to-day interactions make. Say hello to a stranger. Write a note to a coworker. Give an extravagant tip the next time you eat at a restaurant. Volunteer at a local charity for a day/a week/regularly.
I re-issued the challenges and made some new ones a few years ago because I always need the reminder that I can bring joy, comfort, relief, or a smile to someone during my day-to-day living. Even in the midst of my own challenging days, I can give kindness.
The challenges prompt us to look for opportunities to live like it matters right where we are. We can be hope-givers and light-bringers to the people we meet day in and day out. A smile, kind word, brief conversation might make all the difference to the tired server who served you lunch on Sunday, a young man in your daughter’s class struggling with his identity, or the flustered UPS gal hauling heavy boxes inside your office building each morning.
Survival Guide
Are you fighting cancer? Rebuilt your life after a divorce? Overcome an addiction? Dr. Caroline Leaf said, “One day you will tell your story of how you’ve overcome what you’re going through now, and it will become part of someone else’s survival guide.” A significant way to pass it on is to share your knowledge and experience. Hearing or learning how you overcame can give another person the inspiration to do the same.
We don’t have to be entertainers, politicians, professional athletes or authors to live like it matters. We don’t need social media, websites, or Facebook pages. It’s those of us in our workplaces, at the schools, and in lines at the grocery store checkouts who make the difference. It’s never too early…it’s never too late…it’s always the right time to live like it matters.
Writing is one of the ways I pass it on. I pass it on when I’m listening to my kids or one of my friends. I pass it on when I’m closing the books or sitting with a directee or caring for someone in a crisis.
We pass it on in thousands of ways. What are some ways you’ve passed it on today?
