It is the Time to make a Difference.

I am sure, this finds you in good health, staying home and using your time wisely.

 We are getting a really nice response to the 15 days gratitude practice that I invited you all to do. Thank you to those of you that have started to do so and have been sharing your daily gratitude with me on Twitter. You are all inspiring me and others to do the same.

 As I said in my previous article, gratitude uplifts our consciousness and gets us to view life with a different perspective.

At the same time, I see so many posts of people complaining about being forced to be in quarantine and being stuck at home. Trust me, these are the least of your problems!

 When I take a perspective of gratitude I think to myself how blessed I am that I even have a home. That I have clean running water, electricity, food, a family that loves me, internet and countless other conveniences. I see this enforced quarantine as an opportunity rather than a burden. I get to spend more time with my loved ones. I get to pause and reflect on the direction of my life. The direction of my business. The last thing I want to do is complain.

 When we are concerned only about me, myself and I we react to the current situation in a negative way. We look at it as a massive inconvenience to our life. We forget that there are countless other souls in selfless service to save other lives while we sit at home being self-centered.

 Don’t be this person!

 The world has enough of them and you don’t need to be one of them.

Shift your awareness to the area of the mind of gratitude by doing the daily gratitude practice.

Then, from here, ask yourself these questions "How can I make a positive difference? How can I help others? How can I serve?"

There are always ways to help if you really want to do so.

 Here are some simple things you can do to help others:

1.  Send a text message or call the people that are close to you and check in on them. If you send a message please use words, be detailed and specific and whatever you do please, please don’t just send an emoji!

Yesterday, I put aside 75 minutes and reached out to dozens of people I know around the world to check in on them and share words of support.

1. Check in with your neighbors or the elderly in your neighborhood and see if anyone needs help.
2. Offer moral support or lend an ear to those that may be feeling more fearful about the situation, especially those that could be badly affected by this virus such as the elderly.
3. Volunteer. In offering your help, always share what skills you have. Don’t just say "I would like to help."
4. Send a thank you card to your local hospital with a loving note thanking all the health care workers.

 The above are some examples. The main points I am trying to make here are Shift your focus from you to others.

Ask yourself "how you can serve and make a difference"

When you uplift others, you uplift yourself

 Be a positive force during this pandemic. You can make a difference if you want to.

Always be In Peace

Sawmi Sandeepani

Sumarti Ashram