Leaving Things Better Than When You Found Them

Whenever I vacation somewhere,
one of my primary goals
is
to leave the site
the same way
or better
than the way
I found it.

This isn’t possible
without taking positive action.
Being somewhere
as a human in 2020
means creating garbage,
using resources,
displacing something.

So I try to do good
to offset
this unavoidable negative impact.
I pick up garbage
on beaches.
I buy local goods.
I try to be kind
and easy going
and respectful.

As a Romance writer,
I try to do the same thing.
I know
I will be taking up resources
so I try to offset
that negative impact
with positive actions.

I push my niches
creatively forward,
telling stories
that haven’t been told.
I bring people
into the niches.
I help new writers.
I treat my readers
as well 
as I can treat them.

Seth Godin
shares

“The myth of success
based on short-term self-interest
has been disproven
again and again.
It seems obvious that
leaving things better
than you found them
is a powerful step forward,
because you’ll probably
be back this way again
one day soon.”

Consider offsetting
your negative impact
with positive impact.

Leave things better
or at least
in the same state
as you found them.