Leave It Better

Building a "Leave It Better" mindset and practice

It’s often said that the goal of each generation is to ensure a better future for the next one. Considering today’s current challenges—climate change, the housing crisis, racial injustices, war, economic inequality, political divides, and dismantling the rights of voters, women, and the LGBTQ community…just to name a few—things aren’t boding well for today’s youth. ?

Intentionally child-free, I can often suppress the creeping dread that society has already veered too far off course. But, as I sit here writing this, 47 hours into a 4-day stint babysitting my nephew, I’m unable to shake the worry. What will his future look like? His world? How can we collectively work together to move in the right direction and make it better, now? ?

As a former outdoor educator, I follow “Leave No Trace” principles - a code of ethics and practices to ensure that we preserve our natural world for generations to come. A simplified example of this is when you picnic in the outdoors, take all of your trash with you when you leave. It’s a great framework, but when it comes to our communities, a more proactive approach is necessary - we need to go beyond and actively work to Leave It Better. Instead of simply taking our own trash, take a few pieces of litter that someone else left behind.?

Leaving things better than I found them is a lifelong value instilled in me by my parents, both public servants, who modeled compassion and service professionally and personally. It’s the golden thread throughout my own career path, and something I continue to strive for in my personal life as well.

Many people already engage in acts that Leave It Better, from simple kindnesses to strategic decisions, in both their careers and communities. Sometimes those things come easily, and other times it can be really, really hard. Adopting a Leave It Better mindset and integrating it throughout all facets of our lives can reap positive immediate and long-term benefits for the individual, those they interact with, and society as a whole. It can lead to a greater sense of shared responsibility, mindfulness, and accountability to others. Others will also enjoy the benefits and improved outcomes, big and small.

Leave It Better can be contagious, inspiring others to also take action to Leave It Better. Next time you’re at a picnic, start picking up litter - others are sure to follow.

I continue to develop my Leave It Better mindset and practice, integrating it across my day-to-day interactions, professional life, and relationships. I regularly make time for reflection, continually examining, evaluating, and adjusting the ways in which I Leave It Better.

Three questions I ask myself in order to intentionally build this practice are:?

-What does "better" look like to me?

-What might "better" look like to others??

-What actions can I choose to Leave It Better? ?

Each of us has different perspectives about what “better” looks like, and different priorities about where to best focus our time and energy. Our diversity is an asset, and our collective drive to Leave It Better will broaden the impact we each can have individually. Because of the uniqueness of each of our approaches I don’t want to be prescriptive, but as someone who is action-oriented I want to share a few examples of ways you can Leave It Better. ?

Leave It Better in Your Personal Life:

• Environmental stewardship (e.g., reducing waste, composting, utilizing public transportation, picking up trash at a picnic)
• Personal development (e.g., self-improvement, fostering positive relationships)
• Community engagement (e.g., volunteering, supporting community initiatives, buying local)

Leave It Better in Your Professional Life:

• Workplace culture (e.g., promoting collaboration over competition, fostering inclusivity, mentoring others)
• Ethical decision-making (e.g., prioritizing integrity, considering long-term impacts, centering the voices of those impacted)
• Social responsibility (e.g., driving social impact, advocating for sustainable practices)

Leave It Better in Your Interpersonal Relationships:

• Communication and conflict resolution (e.g., resolving conflicts constructively, practicing active listening)
• Offering support and empathy (e.g., providing help and encouragement, being present for others)
• Creating meaningful connections (e.g., investing time and effort in relationships, showing appreciation)

Adopting a Leave It Better mindset allows us to habitualize choices and actions, big and small, that can radiate positive change within ourselves, to others, and across our communities. At a time when so many of us feel helpless, and society has forced us on to individualistic paths, Leave It Better can be a collective onramp to a better future…for my nephew, for your kids, and for generations to follow.

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Hannah Schmitz is passionate about forging cross-sector solutions to social challenges and cultivating young leaders to drive social change.?She is a problem-solver, activator, and wildcard. As Director of the Maryland Public Service Scholars Programs, she creates opportunities for Maryland’s college students to explore careers in the public and social sectors.? As founder of Impacternships, she helps social impact organizations invest in early talent through equitable recruitment, program design, and process development. She’s a Philadelphia native, a Baltimore transplant, and a global travel enthusiast who can often be found making things out of clay or doing the NYT daily crossword.?

This article first appeared in the June 2024 edition of En Root, the monthly newsletter by the fabulous Anna Fitzgibbon at Outgrowth.