Short story:
How a 6th grader mentally prepared everyday to give to others
This story is about me, 6th grade Chris. You see, in middle school we had to write our in-class assignments / activities on paper (not sure if it’s all iPad’s now). Real paper.
So naturally, the teacher would say, “okay class, please take out a blank sheet of paper for this activity.” Very few of the students would reach into their neatly organized binders and grab a clean, crisp piece of paper. Most of the students, instead, would turn to others and say, “hey, can I have a piece of paper?”
For some reason, I was a stressed out student. I probably am naturally a bit more on the stressed side still today.
For example, I ALWAYS tried to get my homework done before the school day was over, to avoid the stress of having to do homework at home.
Other life events had me stressed, worried, and anxious. So one day, my mom shared an idea. Such a powerful idea that it works 100% of the time, every single time, no matter what.
Given I was so worried about MY homework, MY schedule, MY to-do list, and MYSELF… the idea here was to shift focus to others. She would say, “how can you give to others today?”
It took me a while to figure out the answer to that. But I ended up landing on this idea of packing extra paper so that when others asked for it, I could provide it. I was giving paper to others. Simple, and so powerful.
I didn’t go around telling everyone about this plan. It wasn’t about how others viewed me. This was about being in a posture of giving, serving, and caring for others.
By packing my binder with extra paper, I immediately started my day thinking of others. With a concern for others. It’s so simple, and to be honest, I’m not sure the other students even appreciated the fact that I had the extra paper to give. But for me, this was so powerful. It instantly decreased my stress and created a lot of joy.
How can you “pack your binders" this week? This year?
How might you take this idea and apply it to your life?
What would shifting your focus to others do for you right now? What’s the benefit?
I don’t think many people today are asking for a piece of paper. But maybe they are asking to be heard. Maybe they’re asking for a friend to go get coffee with. Maybe they are asking for someone to care about their weekend activities. It might be as simple as setting an intention for yourself in the morning to find ways to give to others. Only you know the answer!
Whatever you decide, I encourage you to keep it to yourself, at least for a while. Let this be something you do for you, without any concern of what others may think.
Pack your binders this month, and Happy New Year!
