This post was originally published in 2014 · Jacob M Hansen

Through all the negativity and pessimism that we wade through every day, its easy to lose hope in the goodness of human beings: unrest and war in the Middle East, poverty and death in Africa, a school shooting in Colorado, corrupt politicians in Washington, cyber bullying, those people who always cut you off in traffic, and the clear signs that everyone around you is inherently and unalterably selfish. 

But then, we see an ordinary person perform an ordinary act of kindness or sacrifice, and immediately our day brightens, our heart is warmed, and we exclaim that our faith in humanity has been restored.  These small acts of service, and occasionally large acts of heroism go viral through the internet and conversation, but why?

The answer is because we all want to live in a world that is good, kind, and happy, so when we see that dream realized in any small way, we celebrate.  We’ve all done it, and we will all do it again. But my question to you is not “do you have faith in humanity?”, but rather, “do you have faith in yourself?”

All of the actions that restore our faith in the goodness of mankind are performed by individuals: individuals who choose to “be the change [they] wish to see in the world”[1], instead of only praising others for being that change.  The point is, if it warms your heart so much to see someone else do something, then try doing it yourself!

If it makes your day to see someone pause their busy life to help an old lady up some icy steps, stand up for that kid who is being bullied, or run across a busy street to rescue a dog who is in danger of being run over, then next time be the person who does those things.

Of course, we all find excuse in the fact that we can’t see opportunities to serve or to be a hero, but just because we’re blind to the countless chances we have to make the world a better place, doesn’t mean they aren’t there.  It only means that its time we forget about ourselves, open our eyes, and take another look. At the end of the day, what matters is not the choices of others, but what you choose to do to bring about the change you wish to see.  If you want faith in humanity, start by putting faith in yourself.