Doing good for society is doing good to you

Selfish by doing things for others.

I go out to throw the trash. We have a system for separating it, with paper and cardboard going into the same bin. The bin is large enough, but it fills up quickly if boxes aren't folded properly. My neighbors order large items, resulting in big cardboard boxes. As you guessed, it's about an apartment building. Unfortunately, the boxes are rarely folded because it's tough to fold something reinforced with paper tape.

I usually do the folding inside my apartment, but sometimes I forget or rush to the bin and have to tear the box or use my nails to remove the paper tape. So, I thought, what if I leave a cutter near the bin so I can use it anytime? And what if I leave it easy to access so my neighbors can also use it? And that's what I did. At first, it seemed like nothing changed, but after a few days, people started using it. The bin was no longer stuffed with big boxes. Most of them were folded properly, with a few exceptions from neighbors who really don't care at all.

Neighbors -> Big unfolded cardboard boxes -> Bin full very fast -> Me sad when I see the bin full ❌

Neighbors -> Big unfolded cardboard boxes -> Cutter in plain sight -> 20 more seconds later -> Bin has folded cardboards -> Me happy when I see the bin organized ✅

Investment: almost nothing. The cutter is an old one that would likely rust in my toolbox. ROI: Organized bins. Organized building. Organized home. Organized me.

Doing good for others always means doing good for yourself. No matter how it looks at first, even doing good for someone who doesn't appreciate it, observe it, or just ignores it, still ends up being good for you. Every good deed creates a nice feeling for you, no matter how small. Maybe it has to do with the fact that nowadays, we always do things just for ourselves. When we do things for others, our mind and body think it's something new. New means endorphins, which means a happy feeling.

You are part of an environment, not just a home, workplace, or family. You're part of something bigger that needs constant care. By improving things around you, you create a better place for everyone, including yourself.

June 29th 2024, Cluj-Napoca 🇷🇴