“In comes a new year, and everything is forgotten, forgiven, and happy again.”
...almost, but not quite.
Congratulations Philadelphia, we’ve made it through another trip around the sun. January has us all embarking on a new chapter in the book of life. Last year can aptly be described as tumultuous at best, nightmarish at worst. But the world keeps spinning, and as the calendar turns over, our community has an opportunity for optimism, and rediscovered hope. We all have the opportunity to hit the reset button and resolute ourselves towards new challenges.
Hitting Reset
While it is true that nothing technically changes from December 31st, 2020 to January 1st, 2021, the New Year is a time for introspection and resolution. It gives us an opportunity to set new goals built on the previous years’ experience, and allows us the chance to shift our perspective. Humans have been making New Year’s resolutions for over 4,000 years - there has to be something to that, right?
Last year was exceedingly difficult. But, there were many silver linings. In fact, it can (and should) be argued that 2020 was the year we as a community finally found our vision. Communities long silenced are having their voices amplified, and long subdued causes became everyday news.
It’s easy to dismiss this positivity as a misplaced emotion, especially given the turbulence we’ve been riding through. It’s much easier to remain negative, get lost in the problems that surround us, and commiserate with each other. Misery does, in fact, love company. The well kept secret of the optimist is that it takes a tremendous amount of courage and bravery to be positive in the face of such sadness. And that strength in positivity is exactly what we are focused on this year.
But what is the power in positivity? A positive attitude is proven to lead to a healthier, and happier life. Positivity is looking for solutions, rather than dwelling in the problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, a positive outlook has many scientific effects on the human mind and body including an “increased life span, lower rate of depression, and better coping skills during hardships and times of stress.” I’m not sure I can name one person that couldn’t use a boost in positivity.
Grooving on the Good
Just as problems without solutions leave a person in quicksand, remaining exclusively focused on the negatives cannot lead to positive outcomes. So this year, the Giveadelphia team is “Grooving on the Good.”
To “Groove on the Good” is not to pretend the hardships and difficulties don’t exist, rather it means to bravely assess a negative situation, and focus on a positive path forward. We’re not shutting out the reality of the world, but we’re staring that reality in the face, and asking ourselves, “How can we improve this situation?” As a philanthropic organization, we’re always focused on ways to bring positivity to our community, but sometimes that positivity needs to be felt both explicitly and intrinsically. Environmental, economic, and societal barriers can make that a difficult task to pursue, but to create change starts with a change in mindset.
Examples of this shift are everywhere around you. Use every single non-profit founder, volunteer, and employee as an example. When facing societal challenges, they’ve decided to take steps towards making a difference. These people don’t say, “my small part won’t matter,” or “I can’t help.” These people lean on the positive notions of what small difference they can make. It is this attitude that makes the true difference, and that can ignite and that can ignite the spark in others.
Join the Giveadelphia community as we shift our perspective and use positivity as the catalyst for change this year. This year we will listen. This year we will be better, if only by an inch. This year we will smile more, cherish the little wins, and search for new ways to build a better community. This year we will Groove on the Good.
Mike
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