Lyric —

And while I’m alive, I’ll make tiny changes to earth

Heads Roll Off — Frightened Rabbit

Lesson —

Life can be hard. Whether it is change or goals we desire, progress takes time, and the whole process can be overwhelming.

Perseverance is required to succeed, and small steps to persevere.

Small steps are necessary to break our challenges down into manageable parts. And as we make them, tiny changes occur that better our situations.

Eventually, we learn that the way to make a big change is to make tiny changes in others' lives.

And when enough of us come together, intent or doing the same, we make enough tiny changes to change the world.

What could have been —

Shortly after New Year, I got word that an old colleague had taken his own life, leaving behind a wife and three children. A recent job loss and depression were factors in his decision, I learned.

Although I had not seen him for close to 10 years, the news shocked and deeply saddened me. Of all the tragedies that unfold in life, suicide affects me the most.

Aside from the immediate pain and sympathy felt for the families, it is the sense of what could have been that really gets to me.

How might life be different, but for a few different circumstances?

A double-edged sword

But what could be is a double-edged sword. The weight of expectation is as heavy a burden as the fear of failure, and both prevent us from fulfilling our potential.

It is natural to feel overwhelmed at the apparent size of the task facing us. And when it appears to dwarf our resources and capabilities, fear and helplessness set in.

But if the task is large, so are the rewards. However, we need perseverance, the help of others, and purpose to achieve them.

Hope may spring eternal, but results come from perseverance —

When we are overwhelmed, it is easy to feel that our circumstances will never change. That life will always be this way. But that is not true. Nothing really lasts forever, and circumstance is no exception.

Change and results take time. And as we can never really be sure of when a breakthrough will happen, the best we can do is take things a step at a time and manage our expectations.

In my experience, there is no defining moment. It is more akin to water eroding a stone than a lightning bolt splitting it in two.

I did not so much as turn off the negative, obsessive thought loops in my head as I did just realize they were no longer happening as often.

We must trust the process. Change will come when we preserve and continue to make tiny changes.

It is the tiny changes we make in our lives that eventually lead to big changes when we persevere.

• It is continuing to show up and refusing to quit.
• The extra set of reps in the gym or run on a cold morning.
• And the positive self-talk, mindfulness, and strengthening of our resolve and self-control.

No man is an island. We all need help.

The quality of our decisions determines the quality of our lives. And deciding to improve our lives is a quality decision.

But what we find after a while is that the tiny changes we make in our own lives have a ceiling. We limit their impact when they only make us better, so we lose momentum.

To regain it, we need to shift our focus.

Science has shown that we are happier when we are helping others. And when happier, are more motivated.

When we decide to change other’s lives, we gain the strength to pursue the changes and results we desire. And in doing so, we improve the lives of others around us too, as they improve ours.

We all need help to handle life’s challenges. And when we help each other, we transfer energy that sustains us in the face of our struggles.

We may never know the full impact of a kind word said or helping hand offered. What may appear a seemingly insignificant gesture may actually change the trajectory of someone else’s life.

It is the tiny changes that we make in each other's lives that provide the momentum we need to continue.

• It is the time taken to listen or a stranger or friend.
• The phone call or message to encourage or say hello.
• And giving our resources, support, time, and expertise without agenda or expectation of gaining anything in return.

Giant oaks from little acorns grow.

Made in isolation, the tiny changes we make appear to have a limited impact. But, as little acorns produce giant oak trees, so these tiny changes have the potential to produce giant results.

A possibility that becomes a reality when enough of us come together, intent on helping one another, committing to a cause greater than our own.

When we all make tiny changes, we create a ripple effect with the potential to change the world.

But we never do this on our own. It is always with others.

It is through the tiny changes that we collectively make that we change the world for the better.

• It is the group of volunteers that give up their time for those in need.
• The small team that campaigns for change on behalf of many.
• And it is those that dedicate their lives to a cause. Even when it almost costs them their lives to succeed.

It always seems impossible until it is done — Nelson Mandela

Make Tiny Changes to Earth.

It is the small steps we take and the small decisions we make that bring about the changes we desire.

And, when we align those changes with a desire to help others, we overcome obstacles that would otherwise prove too much.

Tiny changes lead to big changes in our lives.

Tiny changes lead to big changes in the lives of others.

Tiny changes made by many eventually change the world.

Make it your goal to make tiny changes each day. Tiny changes to earth.