There are things about social good that I love.
– It’s easy to share information, thoughts, quotes with your sphere of influence.
– It’s easy to lend your support to an organization with your voice.
– Small actions can add up to big actions (see my Blogust post!).
– It makes you feel good to help others.
But there’s always that nagging feeling in the back of my mind.
Am I doing enough?
Could I be doing more?
And I already know the answers to those questions. I am doing what I can right now. But I could I be doing more. Absolutely.
Life is a tricky, tricky balance.
In my mind, if you’re a good person (regardless of religion or politics or any of that stuff that blurs the lines), you love your family, you work hard, you try to make money, and you care about the world around you. How much you do of each is where I get a little lost.
A few months ago, my friend Heidi and I decided to start Charitable Influence as a way to help bloggers connect their voices to non-profits and charities. We came out of the gate excited as ever. We were thrilled that other bloggers were excited too. It was a labor of love but we hoped to eventually turn it into a way to help sustain ourselves and create a business.
There were many days when the whole project seemed overwhelming. There were many days when we thought it was easier (and we both admitted this) to give up and just focus on our own families and day-to-day burdens. And more often than not, there were days when it seemed like nobody cared. Bloggers didn’t really care. Nonprofits didn’t always care. And it made it really hard for us to care.
But I’d attend an event like the Women in the World Summit and feel ready to take on the world. I’d attend the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards and hear these amazingly inspiring women from all around the world. I’d hear these stories of so much adversity that these women had to overcome and how they were taking risks with their lives to make sure their voices were heard.
That’s an extremely powerful position to be in. It’s extremely influential. It’s extremely admirable.
Then I come back to balance. Balancing my own enjoyment, appreciation of life, time with my family, and trying to earn a small income.
But what about the rest of the world?
It’s a constant struggle for me.
Am I doing enough?
Could I be doing more?
These are questions I actually hope to answer next week. September 18th opens the 67th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. And during what is dubbed “UN Week,” Mashable will be hosting its Social Good Summit in New York City on September 22-24. As a Social Good Fellow for [email protected], I’m honored to be attending. And I invite you to attend as well.
Perhaps together we can figure out how we make our digital presence one of change, inspiration, and action.
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This year, the Summit will take place September 22-24 under the theme of “Digital. Global. Action.”  Initial speakers include Nick Kristof, America Ferrera, Helen Clark, Deepka Chopra and Forest Whitaker well as many other huge personalities that have yet to be announced officially.  The press release can be found here, and the website is now live at www.mashable.com/sgs.
This event is free for bloggers, and you can sign up here: http://mashable.com/sgs/#sgs_
9 comments
You, my friend, are awesome. xoxo
Thanks for the kind words. I need them every once in a while.
I feel like this every day. I feel like I’m not doing NEARLY enough, and that I completely suck at this. It’s an awful feeling. So I’m with you sister. See you this weekend in New York.
And yet, you are so amazing and such an inspiration. It’s easier to be selfish, isn’t it? Looking forward to some inspiration with you in NYC!
There’s always more to be done but I know it’s all working. For the child mortality rate to have dropped by 14,000 children per day since 1990, means the work [email protected] and so many others, is doing what it needs to — building better futures for all. We’re doing what we can. Can’t wait to see you this weekend! xo
Thanks so much for writing this. When I have these feelings, I tend to think of that starfish story. http://www.starrbrite.com/starfish.html If one blog post, one tweet, one comment, one action – large or small, online or off – can make a difference for one person….is that enough? Keep up the great work, and I look forward to your thoughts about #SGSGlobal.
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