Feeling like you matter in this world, to only one person or to many, is one of the bright circles of life. Even if you are struggling with a mental illness or a mild mood disorder, feeling like you matter will help lift you out of your pit and give you a little motivation.
For those that are dealing with a major depression, just getting out of bed or off the couch can be very challenging. But if you realize that others are counting on you (whether it's your children or the fate of the free world), it can be the kick in the pants that you need to be inspired and get moving.
How you contribute doesn't matter. Anything you can do to make a positive impact will do the trick. Pick a cause you have a passion for or one that supports your beliefs. Find a person in need or a dog that needs a home. All that matters is that you do something you think is a good thing to do.
Perhaps the last time you tried to matter, you got a bad reaction, which can happen, so please don't let it stop you. There is no shortage of people who bite the hand that feeds them, but when you find the right people to help, you can help each other.
We all have something to offer the human race, and doing what you can to make a difference, even a very small one, will change the world for the better. Regardless of what you think of yourself, the fact is you matter to others, and in taking action you are also helping them find their own paths so they can make a difference as well. If you look at your life from that perspective, you will see the difference you are making perhaps by just being alive and present.
Mattering to others gives you a purpose. We all need a reason for being, and fame and fortune usually isn't enough. Feeling like you are contributing to the well-being of humanity gives you a special kind of energy, the kind that empowers people to change themselves and the world.
It's good to feel like you've added something positive to the world. It's hard for me to imagine just being alive without trying to make other people's lives a tiny bit better. Being there for others just makes sense. Otherwise you're just hanging out sucking up air.
It's also okay to get something out of the giving you are doing, and you will. Giving of yourself will bring new people into your life. If you are a little lonely, this can make a big difference.
If you are looking for a place to put your positive energy, look within and then look outward to see what's going on in your community. It is much easier to get started on a small scale than to take on a huge project. Wherever you start is fine. Just do it.
As the humorist and author Leo Rosten said, "I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all."
