What Did You Do Today That Mattered?
Every night before bed, we all have to answer two questions to make sure that we are putting our lives to good use.
- What was the best part of your day?
- What did you do today that mattered?
What Was the Best Part of Your Day?
The first question is meant to find the joy in every day…that little nugget of sunshine. It helps us to focus on the positives. Maybe you were sick or maybe your boyfriend broke up with you, but somewhere between the time you woke up and now…something good happened.
On the great days it could be as big as “I got accepted to college” or “Taking first place in the 5K.”
On the rough days it could be as simple as “It didn’t rain” or “My hair looked nice.”
The point of the question is to take a moment every day to appreciate the gifts the day has given us.
But the second question is the power question. It’s about others, not you.
What Did You Today That Mattered?
This question requires us to pause and think about what we did today to make the world a better place for someone else.
There will be times that you will look back on an AMAZING day filled with fun, but you struggle to think of one thing that really mattered.
Other times you will look back on an awful day and realize that even though it wasn’t a fun day, it was a day filled with purpose.
A couple of months ago, I sat next to my mother-in-law’s hospice bed, held her hand and said goodbye. At the end of that day, I didn’t have much to say in regards to the best part of my day, but I spent my day doing something that mattered.
Life isn’t all about the fun parts, the laughter and the cash and prizes. All fun and no meaning doesn’t make for a great life.
I want my daughter to grow up with the understanding that she wasn’t put on this earth just for her own pleasure. She was put here to be a benefit to others, to be kind, to be helpful and to do things that matter.
Hold open doors. Give a friend a hug. Round up your purchase to donate to a cause. Vote. Cook dinner. Water your plants. Compliment someone. Study for a test. Read a book. Listen to a co-worker. Exercise. Call your mom.
Do something that matters. Every day. And remind yourself each night that life is about making a difference in one other life as often as possible.
Photo by Pedro Kümmel on Unsplash
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