Building A Better Me

Today’s piece is short, thoughtful and hopefully, inspirational. I hope it makes sense, and you find meaning in it. If not, I wish you a day filled with joy and peace.

Today, I commit to being better. This isn’t a “tear-down” or full-scale renovation. I mean, the “bones” are good, as they say in the home renovation/remodeling world. I just need to upgrade some things: replace a few loose boards, clean up some rooms and apply a fresh coat of paint here and there.

What am I talking about? Myself. Because I’m all I have; and for better or worse, being me is a life sentence. I have but one body, one mind and one soul that must last until … well, you get the picture.

I’m the only entity, property or resource that I can control. So, everything must begin right here. (You can’t see it, but I’m pointing at myself.)

And usually, the machine that is “Me” gets the job done … more or less.

But today (and I’m using the term “today” to mean “in the recent past and looking toward the future”) requires more than me just showing up: at my desk, working with clients, at the gym, with my family and friends, or in public situations. (I hope you’re already starting to get where I’m coming from.)

I need to consciously put more time, effort and personal resources (those that reside inside me, like my mind and soul), into bettering myself, my life and my world.

My world. Not yours. Not the bigger world. But mine. Because my world is what I know and really, it’s the only thing I can influence in a positive way.

I know a lot of us are struggling; with personal and health challenges, family issues, problems at work, financial woes and societal, environmental and cultural crises. And many of these have put us at odds with one another. I’ll admit it, I don’t know how to fix all that. And face it, neither do you.

How could we know? How could we take on all those “big things”? We don’t have the power or the resources as individuals “Mes” running around. And, even if we could, how would we exact the kind of sweeping changes required to bring back harmony, unity and balance? It’s overwhelming, isn’t it?

So, for me, it starts with that single thing I can control. Me. Because if I can be better––in my thoughts, my actions and my regard for the people and environment that surround me (my “world”)––if I can seek, achieve and celebrate a “better me,” even if it’s in small actions and tiny daily increments, then maybe, just maybe, some of that will leak out into the larger world; the neighborhood, the community and beyond.

I’m not sure what else I can do at this point … in the world or in my life. But I do know this: I have to do something. And it starts (and maybe ends, who knows?) with me being just a little bit better.

I wish you peace.

© 2025 David R. Haznaw