Changing The World, One Person At a Time

I remember it like it was yesterday—my son's 2014 college graduation from The University of Texas at Austin. The enormous crowd was seated, and the commencement speech began. Admiral William H. McRaven, ninth commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and longtime Navy SEAL, began with the school's slogan, "What starts here changes the world." He went on to say that the average American will meet 10,000 people in his or her lifetime. He related that stat to the grads: If each of the 8,000 graduates changes the lives of 10 people, and those 10 people change the lives of another 10 people, at some point in time the class of 2014 will have changed the lives of 800 million people.

As he spoke, I got the chills and my body was covered in goosebumps. No matter your age, gender, ethnicity, profession, religious beliefs or social status, all human struggles are similar, and everyone can benefit from the kindness of others.

I grabbed my phone and started typing in McRaven's "10 LIfe Lessons From Basic SEAL Training" as he spoke. The lessons are truly inspiring, and I am awed by them to this day. I'm not alone: The powerful speech has garnered nearly 6 million YouTube views! Check it out: https://youtu.be/pxBQLFLei70.

Technique of the week: Find ways to inspire and improve even one person's life. Share something that works for you, such as a wellness tip or a way to make life easier. Tell someone a quality you find admirable about him or her, or share a personal, relatable struggle—you never know the difference that may make! Show kindness and caring any way you can. The people you touch just may pay it forward. You can help change the world—one person at a time!!!