SPECIAL GUEST: CHRISTIAN HORVATH, REDONDO BEACH COUNCILMEMBER AND SINGER/SONGWRITER: THE ART OF LOVING POLITICS

Would you like to contribute to the world—starting with yourself, your family, and your community? Now you can if you apply some words of wisdom from our special guest on Love University, Christian Horvath, Redondo City Councilman, artist, and singer/songwriter. Here are some tips we learned from Christian on how to make a positive difference in our community and daily life:

 

*TAP INTO THE GOODNESS OF PEOPLE: With so much negative and divisive news on TV and other media, our task is to turn off the news and do our own research. Ask yourself: What are the issues that really affect people today and what are some real solutions? Also, study those people who are helping others in a compassionate and kind way, and strive to emulate their work and way of thinking. There is more goodness than badness in the world—we just need to focus on it more, and expand it.

 

*START WITH A BLANK SLATE AND REALIZE YOUR GOALS AND VISIONS: Every day believe that you are starting fresh in your life. Although you may feel burdened by the pains, regrets, and losses of the past, realize that every day is a new day. Strive to better yourself and others every day. Learn from your mistakes, make peace with the past, and be creative in finding solutions. Realize that you have the greatest gift of all—LIFE—and decide to put this gift to good use to help yourself and others.

 

EXPECT THE BEST AND TAKE THE WORST TO THE BEST: Optimism is the art of looking at life through a clear, but positive lens. Although optimists recognize the pain and bad of the world, they don’t focus on it. They realize that all things that happened to them—good, bad, or neutral—propelled them down a path that made them who they are today. As Christian advised, “Be grateful for even negative situations and for losses because they created who you are and led you to meeting new people and encountering new situations that transformed who you are.”

 

VOLUNTEER A LITTLE PIECE OF YOURSELF EVERY DAY: Research shows that people who volunteer and helps the less advantaged have higher self-esteem, more meaning, and less loneliness and depression. When you give in service, you will do more and receive more. Start today in a small way—find ways to help you community; volunteer at a library or elderly center. Take a class on public policy; sign up to participate in local politics. Get engaged at any level you can look to contribute your talents to provide improvements, solutions, and betterment for society. The more you help others, the better you will feel inside because you are contributing a piece of yourself for a higher cause.

 

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD (GANDHI): We can complain all we want about how things don’t work out for us and others; how life is unfair. But, if we want to see true change in the world, we need to start with changing ourselves, our own mindset.   If we see a lot of anger and mean-spirited people in the world, we need to resolve to banish unnecessary anger and impatience in our own life. If we see selfishness in the world, we need to eradicate selfishness within ourselves and develop more compassion and love. Once we become what we want to see, we will be moving forward into a new world.

 

It is possible to contribute to those around you, create meaning in your life, and leave a legacy of goodness and love. All it takes is the desire to be a difference maker in your family, neighborhood, and community. Give love to others without expectation, and your life will be an ever-increasing joy.