This is sort of a funny prompt; I don’t think I’ve really thought about my life quite like this.
I mean, it’s sort of a common concept in business; it’s normal to think about how you might provide value to your employer, or about how your small business might provide value to a customer.
I don’t really have an employer, though; I’m a homeschooling mom, I blog, and I’m a part-time college student.
But if I think about how I provide value every day to the people I come in contact with, I mainly think about the different ways I am able to bless them.
No matter what, everywhere I’ve ever been in my life, there have been opportunities to help, serve, and encourage people.
I can be kind and warm.
I can offer a listening ear.
I can smile.
I can offer practical help (like the way I help my cousin with dishes and laundry)
I can ask people about themselves.
I can say thank you.
I can give compliments (even to random people at the grocery store. “I like your hair!” “Your dress is cute!”)
I can check in on someone who is grieving.
I can be kind to other people’s kids.
I can be responsible (Responsible students bless their professors. Medical professionals feel blessed if you show up on time, bring your papers, and do what they tell you to do. Businesses are blessed if you pay them in a timely way.)
I can give a soft answer when someone’s words get a little spicy.
Basically, in a million different ways, there are opportunities to be a bright spot in someone else’s day.
So, I think that’s how I add value to the world; by approaching my interactions with a, “How could I bless this other person?” attitude.
How do you provide value every day?
P.S. I was thinking about the obvious value that some people provide, by doing things like treating cancer or, you know, making an important vaccine. But most of us will provide value to the world by making much smaller, more mundane contributions. And those mundane contributions might not change the whole world, but they do change things for one person at a time.
Well, I should hope I provide value (this kind of corporate-speak sets my teeth on edge) by raising children who will go on to be valuable to society at large. I guess I’ll have to wait to see about that, though.
I know I provide them with a lot of food, so I guess that’s a start. 🙂
See, and this is where I go the faith route. I have no intrinsic value except the value I have in Christ. Thus the only value I can provide others is doing whatever I do to the glory of God.
And I’m not 100 percent comfortable saying/typing that, which means I have work to do. Or, work to allow God to do in/through me.
What a lovely response, Kristen. You are truly a blessing to so many people. As a special education teacher for 35 years I was fully aware of the value I was providing every day. I also raised one son (a big eater) who turned out to be a valuable member of society and a wonderful person, so I understand the value you are providing, Kristin. Now, as a retiree with no kids at home I try to do things that will help at least one person a day or make the world a better place in some way each day.
Sue W, I also work in special education and see the value there. Kristin, feeding kids on a daily basis healthy food is a huge value. It’s not easy, I know! Kristen, I love what you says about responding with kind words when you get a spicy comment. That goes along way and I need to work on that.