All About Discomfort and Sharing
The Discomfort Challenge
To be the best person you can be, you’ve got to be willing to seek discomfort.
The best way to do that is to help people.
More recently, I’ve been reading a lot of books on altruism, philosophy, and giving, and I’ve realized that sharing is literally one of the most important and fulfilling things that we can do in life, especially when sharing can save other people’s lives.
I used to be the kid that wanted to help everyone; I would always ask my parents for money to help a homeless person, feel affected by people carrying huge suitcases and shivering in the cold, always saying thank you…
But then I realized that I was doing it all wrong.
But how?
I was asking people to give on my behalf.
Asking your parents to give you money to give other people isn’t what you should do, at least from the perspective of your own personal growth.
You should give out of your own pocket. That’s what’s fulfilling, and that’s what makes your contributions to society 10x more meaningful.
I’m independent and self-building, so I didn’t want to rely on my parents at all. I thought about giving money directly to people, but then I realized that I could give something even more meaningful (in my opinion).
Then I put things into perspective, and realized how privileged I am. I was being a hoarder by acting as if I was dependent on others to give.
I have a lot of clothes. And I also have a lot of clothes that millions of people really need. And I also have a lot of clothes that I don’t need and don’t wear. If you’re wondering what that looks like, I’ll show you:
And yes, all of these went/are going to people who need it through clothing banks, mail delivery, and hand delivery. 1000+ clothing items, I estimate.
It doesn’t matter name brand, price, type of clothing, etc. It’s all going to those who really need it. Those who can benefit from it.
I used to be so uncomfortable doing things like this. Having to have that person-to-person interaction, talking to people who are in unfortunate situations, feeling like I’m out of place.
But no more.
I took control, because I wanted to help others.
And you should try it out too.
The moment it’s safe to travel, I’m going right on over to Nigeria, and possibly other countries, to hand deliver these clothes to children who desperately need them. There are billions of people who could benefit from the simplest resources displaced through out each of the continents, from North/South America, to Asia, to Europe, to Africa, to Oceania, ok. Maybe not so much Antarctica…
The point is, that this experience wasn’t half bad. As uncomfortable I was, it was super worth it.
10/10 would do it again. What a great way to kick off the New Year!
Before you go…
My name is Okezue Bell, and I’m a 14 y/o innovator/entrepreneur in a variety of spaces. I’m investing my time in researching and developing myself (in the super interesting biotech and bioeng space)! Make sure to contact me more:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/okezue-a-...
💻 Personal Website: https://www.okezuebell.com
🦜 Twitter: https://twitter.com/okezuebell
Also, I recommend tuning in to my monthly newsletter, non-scientific blog (on website), and letters (in newsletter site)! I post new updates there at least every month!
There’s going to be more…😉
Thanks for reading!
