Tag: helping others

Rap Star Is Helping Cancer Sufferers Get Chemo

When it comes to helping others, Hollywood stars and Grammy award-winners are often at an advantage. Many musicians use their fame to give back via charity benefit concerts. However, American rapper Pitbull is using a more hands-on approach, helping Puerto Rican cancer sufferers get chemo by flying them to the U.S.

The singer, whose real name is Armando Christian Perez, was thanked by Puerto Rico congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez on Twitter.

“Thank you @pitbull for lending your private plane to move cancer patients from PR to USA so that they can get chemo,” she wrote.

The island was recently devastated by Hurricane Maria, leaving many without basic necessities. A number of ill and injured remain stranded. Pitbull’s occasional collaborator Jennifer Lopez has since donated $1 million to aid hurricane victims.

“Thank God we’re blessed to help. Just doing my part,” [said Pitbull.]

We may like to think so, but stars aren’t all about glamor. Often, we forget they’re human too.

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Spread The Charitable Holiday Cheer On A Budget

Rolling into the “ber” months has many of us anticipating the upcoming holidays. While December usually means plastic pine trees from Home Depot and the return of Starbucks’ secret menu, it is also a time of giving. Though it’s the simplest and most practical way to help others in need, we aren’t all equipped to donate money. (That is, of course, unless you’re Bill Gates) However, there are a plethora of different ways to spread the charitable holiday cheer on a budget — and it may be more rewarding than you think.

Making a physical donation is easily the most viable option for holiday busybodies. If money isn’t exactly on your side, choose to donate in kind. Considering that the Christmas season rakes in a lot of presents, there are probably household items you can choose to live without. You can pledge clothing to shelters and toys to children’s groups. Books can go to your local library and appliances or electronics can end up in Goodwill. Of course, it is best to ensure that the items in your “give” box are in good condition.

If you can spare a day being proactive, you can opt to give your time. Charities don’t only seek checks and boxes — they need people. Volunteer at a home, whether for the elderly, ill, or four-legged. Chances are, there will be a lot for you to do. A rise in nonprofit groups may leave you with a copious amount of options. If you’re unsure of where to start, figure out where your interests lie and what skills you have to offer. This is where making a list and checking it twice may come in handy. (Scoot over, Santa)

If you are keen on raising funds, plan something income-generating like a garage sale or auction. If you’re without a charity of choice, research a group that could use the money. Remember that you will make the greatest impact by sticking to one organization. A few hundred dollars will go a long way for a single cause as opposed to dividing costs between various groups.

Some people love experiencing the immediate effects of giving back. If you’re handy in the kitchen, consider running a food drive. Get your neighborhood in on the action. Decide what meals are easiest to throw together, and are most cost-efficient. Not only will you satisfy a handful of hungry tummies — you’ll bring the community together.

Needing a change? Or are you simply not so squeamish? Make a medical donation. Blood drives are common during the holidays and a perfectly suitable option for those who have managed to stay in shape. (Perhaps skip the fruit cake?) If you’re not too hot for needles, donate your hair! You’ll be surprised how many people are affected by hair loss due to medical conditions. Moms can also donate breast milk to milk banks.

Giving back can be rewarding, especially if you have the money to do so. But you can choose to be charitable every single day. The time you take to change someone’s life will likely be more meaningful than just a dollar bill.

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The Art of Happiness: 4 Things You Need to Know

Everyone has dreams and aspirations. Some people strive towards certain long-term goals, integrating their sense of self, their career, their relationships, and other aspects of their lives mindfully — and in such a way that they organize particular steps on how to find success and work on that plan. Others are more content to live each day to the fullest, making the most of the different aspects of their lives even without a precise set of objectives, and finding small successes in short-term goals that they achieve. Either way, everyone is trying to figure things out. In my understanding, what we’re really trying to figure out is the art of happiness.

I’m sure all of us have wondered, some more often than others, if we’re currently happy with our lives. And if we realize we’re happy, we then ask, how do we continue being so? And if we realize we’re not, how do we start working on it? I don’t have a degree in psychology or anything, and I’m sure I’m only one of too many people to reflect out loud about the art of happiness, but let me speak from experience and take a crack at it anyway.

1. Start here and now.

First and foremost, it’s important to stop delaying or postponing the search of what makes you happy. It helps to start simple. You don’t have to engage so deeply in a philosophical discourse and quote from famous ancient Greek scholars. You don’t have to get a life motto tattooed on your arm and consistently try to stick by it everyday. You don’t have to repaint your entire house so that it will look cheerful and inspire you to feel the same. If any of those helps, good. But what matters is this: start today.

The desire to have a profound definition of happiness will put so much pressure on you. Instead, focus on the many unexpected little ways to start reflecting on your life and the art of happiness. Simply reading a book, dressing up nicely for yourself, baking cookies or walking around the community might be able to help. The point is for you to put yourself in the mindset of actively wanting to be happy, instead of merely letting your ordinary day-to-day routine pass you by.

2. Work towards a healthy lifestyle.

Now that you’re in the mindset of being happy in small and simple ways, it’s also time to introduce small and simple changes to your lifestyle. After reflecting on the ordinary things you do everyday, it helps to identify how you want to make them better.

Think about the lifestyle trends that will most benefit you. For instance, you may find fulfillment by participating in sustainability efforts, whether through fashion or recycling. Another definitely beneficial step is to pursue the healthy lifestyle you’ve always known you needed, whether that means putting effort into a plant-based diet or a regular exercise routine or both. After all, a healthy body and a healthy mind should work together. Relax once in a while. Take breaks from social media. I’m sure being more mindful of your lifestyle practices will eventually have a payoff.

3. Make positive memories.

No man is an island. As creatures with a social nature, it’s a significant part of our lives to cultivate our interpersonal relationships. But it’s not enough just to ask your family or friends how they are every once in a while. To properly keep up with our intimate connections, we have to ensure we spend quality time together.

Do a fun activity with your peers, something that you miss because you haven’t done in so long. Go bowling. Redo your garden with your family. Have a picnic with your nieces and nephews. I’m sure there are a lot of positive memories from the previous years that you go back to whenever you’re feeling down, so what’s stopping you from creating more of those? Bond with your loved ones, help each other make fantastic memories, and I don’t know, take some selfies to immortalize those great moments? Again, it doesn’t matter how you do it; what matters is that you do.

4. Express gratitude and exercise kindness.

Here’s where I go scientific about the art of happiness. Some studies have tried to recognize certain predictors to our well-being, and they consistently include these: gratitude and kindness. Feeling grateful is an awesome mindset to maintain, though it doesn’t come naturally. We spend so much time wanting more that we forget to be thankful for what’s already there for us. We forget that sometimes, good enough is good enough.

It takes practice to inculcate gratitude in oneself, so make it part of your life. Write a thank you note each day — to a parent, a friend, a co-worker, or even a stranger. (Science says you don’t even have to send the letter of gratitude, so long as you write it down and get to think about it.) If you’re a spiritual person, say thanks through your prayers before going to sleep.

Perhaps most effectively, feel grateful and pay it forward. Interestingly enough, gratitude works best when the positive feelings associated with it translate into kindness. Don’t be afraid to help out. Not only will it make you feel good about yourself, performing acts of kindness can even give you actual health benefits. Heck, it might be the best lifestyle trend (please refer to Tip #2) that you can introduce to yourself.

These are only a few steps that you can initiate towards discovering the art of happiness. The specific answers, of course, will depend on your own history and your future goals. But then, if you’re only going to follow four words from my list of tips, choose these: start here and now. You might be surprised at the happiness — and more potential of it — that is already present around you, if you just look close enough.

* This post is inspired by BeepBeep Nation, an app that provides a platform for people to request for the help they need and others to offer their help. By facilitating face-to-face human interaction and creating a culture of kindness, it aims to make the world better. The EMINENT token, also known as the fuel for the BeepBeep Nation app, is now available for sale!

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The Social Nature of Humans and Making the Most of It

From philosophy to neurology, from psychology to religion, from anthropology to biology, it has been argued that humans are, in their very nature, social beings. And who are we to refute than, when our everyday lives are composed of enjoying our friends’ selfies, investing in romantic relationships, looking out for the next generation, and even engaging in social media for good causes? The social nature of humans is embedded in our personal lives, the institutions and structures that govern them, our cultures, our histories, our belief systems, the way we acquire and share knowledge, and well, basically everything.

Including the very makeup of our brains. This fascinating finding in neuroscience has recently come up: our brains are inherently social. Neuroscientists investigated the human brain in its non-active state i.e. when the person takes a break and lets his brain rest. When a person has down time, his brain turns on a system called the “default network.”

According to Matthew Lieberman, a famous social psychologist and neuroscientist: “The default network directs us to think about other people’s minds—their thoughts, feelings, and goals.” Basically, whenever we try to chill out, our brains’ automatic response is to think of other people. This mirrors the history of our evolution as humans, since we all know that species which work well together have definitely shown more chances of survival. Interestingly enough, tracing the origin of our social nature is simply evolutionary.

But then again, through thousands and thousands of years, this evolutionary fact must have manifested in other things. For instance, in the way we experience pain. Social loss and social rejection may seem different from, say, bruises or wounds, but our brains seem to process them the same way. And here’s a good explanation behind that:

A broken leg and a broken heart seem like very different forms of pain. But there are evolutionary reasons why our brains process social pain the way they process physical pain. Pain is a sign that something is wrong. Social pain signals that we are all alone—that we are vulnerable—and need to either form new connections or rekindle old ones to protect ourselves against the many threats that are out there.

No man is an island, indeed. While we definitely have basic needs like water, food, air, and shelter, social connections may as well be in the same category. That’s what we can say for the way humans scientifically evolved as a species. Unfortunately, the way human society has evolved seems to be counterintuitive. Over the years, our lifestyles have grown to be more individualistic, partly due to the economy, partly due to technology, though other factors come into play. The point is this: we steadfastly seem to grow apart from each other, against our evolution and our biology.

These days, we seem to keep defying our social nature as we let our social connections dissolve. We could spend a long amount of time working our bodies off, forgetting whom we work for. We pursue our ambitions, sometimes putting aside our loved ones, losing our grip on the fact that we won’t have the motivation and inspiration to succeed in the first place without them. We convince ourselves to be content seeing each other as pixels on computer or phone screens.

BeepBeep Nation has an answer to this dilemma. It ironically reverses the current trend in technology of creating distance between people, and instead uses the very potential of technology in developing our social nature. By providing a platform to connect people who need help and people who can offer it, the BeepBeep Nation app seeks to give its users the opportunity to be as social as they want and need to be.

The provision of help through the BeepBeep Nation app requires an actual physical meetup between a requestor and a helper, so in addition to encouraging a culture of kindness, it also intensely promotes face-to-face human interactions. Since its very mission of making the world a better place functions on the basis of our social nature as humans, BeepBeep Nation urges us to make the most of it in our everyday lives.

The EMINENT token which fuels the BeepBeep Nation app is now available for sale. I’m sure it will take time to reflect on the social nature of humans, so while doing some philosophical thinking for yourself, be sure to check that out as well. My final two cents: it might even be better to live out your ideas through BeepBeep Nation. Instead of merely musing about it, let’s participate in a world that is truly more social than ever.

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Are You an Idealist or Realist? You Need to Be Both to Have Compassion

Time and time again, the age-old debate resurfaces among a group of friends, possibly during a night out for cocktails when someone shares his current career or relationship problems. Is it better to be an idealist or realist? Surely at least one friend will emerge as the former and another will appear to be the latter, but sometimes, a few of you will be confused as to how you have decided to look at life so far. As a businesswoman, I have long ago come to terms with the fact that I need to be both, in order to deal with the life path I have chosen for myself.

Another path that necessitates the destruction of the either/or mentality when it comes to being an idealist or realist is learning compassion. To live a fruitful life of being kind to others and sharing your life with them, one must learn to be both. I know seems like a contradiction, but first, let’s inspect what those terms generally mean to people.

In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the second definition of idealist applies to a person with a certain perspective or way of life. Defined as “one guided by ideals” or “one that places ideals before practical considerations,” people who live by idealism probably aim to see things in a perfect light. Often also dubbed as dreamers, visionaries and positive thinkers, idealists value noble principles and set high goals for themselves. This often means that they tend towards optimism.

However, there’s also a misconception that idealists are naive, innocent, and wishful thinkers. That doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. They only hope for a better future and live life according to that hope, which means that the big picture is very important to them. However, by focusing on the big picture, they sometimes get ahead of themselves and forget to consider other important factors in a given situation. Now let’s contrast these traits with how a realistic person is described.

While idealists focus on “what could be,” realists tend to look at “what actually is.” They like to adopt a practical or pragmatic view of circumstances, which leads them to make safe and rational choices. Sometimes, they tend towards cynicism or pessimism, but again, that’s not necessarily the case. They just like to process particular aspects of a certain situation and carefully scrutinize the truth.

Instead of looking at the big picture of a better future, realists tend to break it down into components and set smaller, more achievable goals. Sometimes, this tendency hinders them from taking risks and makes them settle with what they’re immediately given. By focusing on the present, they may sometimes miss out on big possibilities.

Now you may notice that both mindsets actually seem to need each other. The debate for whether you’re an idealist or realist seems futile when you see the holes in either perspective. For instance, an idealist may have high hopes towards a huge goal, but he is not equipped with enough focus to actually lay out steps on how to achieve that. Meanwhile, a realist may have the analytic skills, but he doesn’t have any purpose so those skills just end up as unused potential.

When we stop thinking of whether we’re an idealist or realist and instead shift the conversation to how we should be the best of both, we start seeing that there’s so much more we can do. An idealist perhaps wants to change the world and make a brighter future for everyone, a vision that is very helpful in our times, but nevertheless just a vision. A realist can introduce practical ways on how to make that vision happen and sustain it, turning an idealistic hope into purposeful action.

The BeepBeep Nation app encourages the idealist and the realist in everyone by enabling its users to regularly do kind acts and eventually invest in a broader culture of kindness. It provides a platform to connect people who need help and others who can provide that help, fostering new and healthy relationships or networks. As such, not only does it promote an attitude and culture of helping each other out, it also makes way for a whole new level of face-to-face human interaction.

Aiming to build trust among individuals, BeepBeep Nation convinces the idealist in you that a brighter future or a better world is possible, and it urges the realist in you to start acting on that picture.

You may explore the BeepBeep Nation website to find out more about how to harness your idealistic and realistic side in exercising compassion. To get started, don’t forget to check out its fuel, the EMINENT token, now available for sale. Now you no longer have to choose between being an idealist or realist; BeepBeep Nation offers some truly exciting ways to develop a healthy mindset that embraces both.

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Dare to Care: Why Helping Out is an Act of Bravery

In this world, to be kind is to be brave. It takes no effort to be comfortable in our own homes, binge-watching TV shows while munching on popcorn, cozy in our jammies and unbothered about the rest of humanity. But it takes a bit of courage to open our eyes and see those who need us, whether they are people on the other side of the world or people who belong to our own communities; it takes stepping up to be aware of our selfish conveniences and realize that there’s someone out there seeking help, with no one to help him or her. Just the initiative to feel for others is an act of bravery.

Now more than ever, the Internet has given us access to an infinite number of stories. Some say humans have never witnessed so much tragedy before; of course, these atrocities have always been happening and suffering has always been a constant in this world. Generations before us had to endure so much pain as well. But they never had the same access to the lives of others. Now, with just one click, you are able to read about everything horrible that is going on in the world. And as humans, we are not built to carry so much heartache.

Empathy is painful. Neurologically speaking, the pain you feel for yourself and the pain you feel for others seem to activate the same processes in the brain. This must be why it’s so easy to ignore the pain of others: it gives us the same pain, but it’s a pain we can avoid. After all, it’s not really our lives at stake. To be empathetic is to subject ourselves to hurting. This is precisely why it is an act of bravery to see the pain of others.

And what better way to express this courage than to actually do something about it? Not only are you being aware of another’s suffering, you are going out of your way to help alleviate it. To disregard one’s comfort in life is a very difficult task, but sometimes, helping others doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning yourself. Sometimes, there are ways to take the initiative without severely hurting yourself and challenging your pain tolerance. Sometimes, a simple act of bravery every now and then should suffice.

The BeepBeep Nation app has a mission of making the world a better place by encouraging people to be a little courageous every now and then. By providing a platform to connect people who need help and people who can offer help, it enables its users to do an act of bravery and improve their sense of compassion, with only a bit of effort.

BeepBeep Nation motivates its users to reach out to other individuals in various ways: by simply offering a ride to work or a place to stay, by simply answering questions in an accurate manner, by simply offering an extra hand during a medical emergency, and many others. Reaching out in little ways seems convenient, right? But like I said, a simple act of bravery at particular moments should be enough. Because a simple act of bravery through the BeepBeep Nation app can nurture a culture of compassion like never before. It can start a revolution of people being kind to each other and paying it forward (perhaps endlessly). So dare yourself to be brave and use that courage to care for others.

If you want to join BeepBeep Nation’s mission of motivating everyone to be kind, helpful, and brave, the app’s official website will help you every step of the way. Its fuel, the EMINENT token, is also now available for sale, so be sure to check that out to get started. Dare to care, and dare to see this for yourself: a world of kindness.

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The Hope in Social Apps Amidst Global Challenges

Right now, some people would say the world we live in is a dark, dark place. There is, of course, some truth to that. All around us, there are stories of conflict, of suffering, of endless global crises. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. There might be problems we cannot ever address because they need entire organizations and nations to solve, but even as ordinary humans we can do our fair share of alleviating the hardships of others.

One thing that has consistently helped us is the advent of technology. Again, some would say that our constant drive for innovations and scientific advancements are actually urging us to veer away from our humanity and from each other, but certain developments prove otherwise. Some argue that technology can even make us more human. And I agree, especially when it comes to social apps and how they have facilitated empathy between people. Despite the many problems that people around the world are facing, some glimmer of hope arises in social apps and how they bring people closer to each other and thus closer to solving their crises. Here are some ways that social apps nurture hope:

1. Speaking out and raising awareness

More and more, social apps are being used to promote awareness and share vital information. Some people are simply not as exposed to important issues, and they truly benefit from others who speak out in order to help them understand. For instance, a mother posted some facts plus her own take on depression on Facebook, an inspiring post that has gone viral and helped break stigmatizing opinions on the matter. Mental health is a serious problem because it is not yet as accepted by many people despite the scientific data, so it always helps to bring stuff like it to the limelight and get the conversation going. It is always so tear-jerking when you hear (or read?) someone speak so passionately about something so significant.

Since it spans networks and networks of people, social media could definitely be a good avenue to raise awareness. Ordinary individuals can participate in the global discussion, even if it means starting to inform and converse with the people who are closer to them.

2. Crowdfunding

One of my favorite online trends ever is GoFundMe. It helped a deaf boy provide hearing aids to fellow deaf children. It helped cops replace the stolen college tuition money of a deserving student. It helped students fund the surgery of their teacher’s wife.

Fundraising initiatives have probably been going around since time immemorial, but technology has certainly taken it to a whole new level. Crowdfunding is an interesting online trend because you are not only appealing to people you know inside your own community, you are inviting people from everywhere to share your cause. In doing so, you get to witness empathy on a global scale. It proves that we don’t have to be so similar, we can speak different languages and live in different countries, and still have the heart to help each other.

3. Doing little acts of kindness

Lastly, just because we can raise awareness virtually or donate money online, doesn’t mean help is limited nowadays to digital forms. Tweets, Facebook posts, and even blogs that talk about important issues are definitely a good way to participate in changing the world. Crowdsourcing is another surefire way to help people out and make an impact in their lives, even if they are far away. But again, help that comes from progressive technology doesn’t necessarily have to remain online or virtual.

The BeepBeep Nation app has a proposal to digitally facilitate connections but encourage face-to-face interactions between people who are willing to help each other out. By linking people who need help and people who can provide it, regardless of how seemingly simple and small the favor is, BeepBeep Nation inspires us to take a step forward and initiate a culture of helping amongst ourselves. It is also a true community app, as it seeks to build networks of peers among people who willingly share their kindness with one another.

It may not seem like a lot to give someone a ride home or a place to stay, or even offer your own recommendation to promote your favorite restaurant in the vicinity, but it’s a start. The world could be a dark place, but there are an infinite number of ways to share the light, if only little by little.

If you think there’s hope in social apps like I do, and want to share your own little spark, be sure to check out the BeepBeep Nation app. Soon to launch worldwide in selected cities, it is fuelled by the EMINENT (EMN) token, now available for sale. Get started now and participate in a world of technological progress, hope and kindness.

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Your S.O. Doesn’t Have to be a Lover — It Might Be a Stranger in Need

It’s no secret that the idea of finding a soulmate or at least someone that you could spend your life with has enchanted people for centuries. We cannot deny that romantic love is one of the biggest aspects of our lives. From all the world’s love songs to romantic comedy films, from museum art to television commercials, from poems to Facebook photo albums, that kind of love is constantly promoted to us by various forms of media.

One of the grandest days of every year is even dedicated to that idea; once a year, every corner is filled with figures of baby angels and big old hearts punctured by a golden arrow, dozens and dozens of roses, stacks and stacks of chocolate boxes, stuffed toys, sometimes even expensive jewelry, and all of that cheesy Valentine’s merchandise.

Now of course not everybody has the same cheesy dreams to chase. Some believe in milder or not-so-cliché notions of romance. You might have understood love through a simple story of how your parents met at an elevator at the workplace one day and just started talking, which led to 30 years (and counting!) of marriage. Or you might have appreciated it as you spot an adorable couple just chilling out and individually reading books together at a coffee shop. Maybe you currently have a significant other, and you fall in love with her a little bit more every time you watch her earnestly solving crossword puzzles. These are all notions of romantic love as well.

However, so many people also lose their minds over love. Believing that they cannot exist without their romantic partner, they lose sight of everything once the relationship ends. Or hopelessly waiting for the attention of the person who do not love them the same way, they waste years and years of their lives. I can’t begin to fathom the number of heartbroken humans in the world right now.

Meanwhile, I know some people who are in the single-and-not-really-enjoying-it boat, because they are so fixated in finally having a significant other. I have a friend who regularly asks me to match her up with someone or pretty much anyone I know (which is a recipe for disaster, I tell you), and then ends up at my apartment crying on my shoulder whenever her Tinder dates go badly. I can’t tell if she is just bored or doesn’t know what else to do with her life, but I do think my friend is a good person who has a lot of love to share. She just hasn’t found the right one to share her heart with.

For all of you who are in a similar situation, this is what I told her a few times before: there are other kinds of affection that you can choose to share with people now. You can even give some love with a stranger in need. You don’t need to be romantically involved just to give love and be loved. There’s too much kindness, tenderness, and happiness to be given in the world, just for all of it to be caged inside us as we wait for Prince or Princess Charming. Romantic love isn’t the ultimate kind of love; there are many, and it’s just one of them.

For instance, we can pour our love towards our family members. Take your mom and sister out to brunch or a makeover and spa day every once in a while. Also, your mom and dad will certainly appreciate if you arrange a fancy date night for them, one they probably haven’t had for some time now. Shower your pets with affection — I’m sure it’s going to be incredibly fulfilling to be reminded of how sweet they can really be. Stop looking for prospects during a girls’ night out, forget all about the boys, and really have some fun with each other. Stop taking the people (and lovable pets?) around you for granted while looking for somebody else to love.

There is also much to learn when you go out into the world to seek new connections, and not necessarily in the romantic sense. Maybe your significant other isn’t supposed to be a lover; maybe your love and affection can go instead to a stranger in need. Spend your hours volunteering at a home for the elderly. Teach your passions to the kids in the community. Help someone out at the grocery. Sharing your kindness to a stranger in need is another type of love that is just as pure and meaningful.

The BeepBeep Nation app has the mission of making the world a better place and encouraging everyone to share their love and affection by being kind to a stranger in need. By providing a platform to connect people who want to request for help and others who can offer that help, BeepBeep Nation enables people to be more compassionate and more loving.

Fuelled by the EMINENT token, “The Mother of All Apps” features many categories of help that people can give or get. BeepBeep Nation users will have endless opportunities to enjoy face-to-face social interactions and meet interesting people.

Check out the EMINENT token pre-sale now, and learn more about BeepBeep Nation. By promoting kindness in the world, you just might find yourself having many significant others. And by offering your help to a stranger in need, you just might offer your heart as well.

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Cultivating Kindness in the Next Generation

Everybody needs a shot of good news everyday. As for me, my dosage of inspiration usually comes from stories involving children who do fantastic, exceptionally kind things for other people, or other people who do fantastic, exceptionally kind things for children. In this blog, it’s no secret that I am partial to featuring the little people of the next generation who’ve shown some really impressive abilities, such as a great deal of empathy.

Some children first understand the need to help others because of their own plight. For instance, a deaf boy started his own fundraising initiative to provide hearing aids for his fellow deaf children. Others are inspired by their loved ones, like this high schooler who invented an AI system to diagnose her grandfather’s eye disease. It goes to show that at an early age, children already have a deep enough understanding of love and already think of the welfare of those around them.

But it doesn’t stop there either. Some children can even empathize with those who live way beyond their backyards and come from backgrounds way different from theirs. At times of disasters, for instance, children show that they feel so much for people that are suffering, as exemplified by an 8-year-old who collected over a thousand toys that he eventually gave away to Puerto Rican kids after the terrible hurricane. Unfortunately, some adults aren’t even able to have this kind of empathy, but some kids definitely do.

Meanwhile, some preschoolers just want to have fun and eventually end up helping others out, like this prodigious 5-year-old who sells her own astounding galaxy paintings and donates the proceeds to a charity.

But what do these stories of the next generation mean for us who come before them? Should we feel bad and envious that they are already doing so much more? Should our generation take credit for raising such beautiful children? No, though perhaps possible, none of those seems right.

Some groups of people have already figured out what to do and what their role is. Educational institutions in New York have been trying to address the problem of inequality by providing free lunches to kids of lower status, while libraries in Los Angeles have waived book rental fees for readers under the age of 21. This Massachusetts startup is making life better for kids with autism by providing smart glasses that can help them track emotion and improve their social skills. Disney itself committed 100 million dollars to children’s hospitals.

That’s right. What we need to do for the next generation is show them that they can become the best versions of themselves, because this world is going to be kind to them. And we have to make sure that it happens. We absolutely have to make this world a better place for the people who will succeed us, so that they may continue on the good work.

Not all of us can donate millions of dollars or invent something incredibly beneficial. But there are things we can do, like volunteer our time and skills to organizations dedicated to the welfare of children, mentor kids in our community who show interest in the fields we know about, support and participate in school and after-school programs, and many others. Sometimes, even showing compassion to tiny members of the family like our own children or nephews and nieces might already be enough.

In the end, it’s all about the culture of kindness that we cultivate for them, so that when the time comes for them to take charge of the world, they can take things further and make it an even better place. We have to inculcate kindness in them, so that they can pay it forward and be even kinder to others. No doubt, cultivating kindness in the next generation means that we ourselves have to be kind to each other. As they say, lead by example.

One such app with the same mission is BeepBeep Nation. It aims to make the world a better place by connecting people who need help and others who can offer it. Providing a plethora of opportunities to give back and help out, it enables people to exercise compassion the way they want to. Ultimately, BeepBeep Nation encourages people to share their lives with one another and believe in a future built on kindness. This is exactly the kind of mindset that our children should learn as they are growing up.

Fuelled by the EMINENT token, the BeepBeep Nation app is set to launch soon, in selected cities worldwide. Pre-sale of the token is already live, with some bonuses available. Check out the ICO now! It’s never too early for children to find the heart to help out, and it’s never too late for us to encourage them to do so.

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Business Networking: BeepBeep Nation and Intangible Profit

I’ve been in the game for a while now. In the world of business, it’s not enough to be efficient, effective, and generally adept at your tasks. What’s more important than the mechanical side of whatever industry is securing good relationships and establishing a broad network of contacts. Dealing with administrative and operational matters should not overshadow putting yourself and your company out there and meeting great people.

There are some traditional means of business networking. Setting up events to gather potential clients and affiliates is always on the table — there is always an opportune time for a semi-casual party, a formal program to an organization you want to sponsor, an official launch of a new product, or others. Attending trade shows and business conferences is also very conducive to building a network; whether as an attendee or a speaker, you’ll get the chance to meet people and stimulate their interests.

In these areas, making a good impression is of utmost priority. Hard selling one’s business may not always be the most effective approach. Sometimes, keeping the conversation light, fun, but engaging may be even more beneficial. This is your one shot at establishing a connection, so actually getting to know a few great prospects is better than having a standard robotic speech for everyone. Aggressive methods are also not recommended as you do not want to scare away your prospects.

Talking about your passions and listening to them talk about their passions is a good step to ensuring a followup sometime soon. Remembering the humanity of the people that you’re talking to while talking to them leads to more fulfilling, more secure relationships in the future. This is true for both our professional and personal lives.

Of course, in the digital age, there are updated ways of achieving the same goal. Social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and other online communities are a good way to promote your business and establish a more secure network of potential clients and affiliates. Nowadays, it’s actually unusual for any business not to have its own website or blog to express its philosophy, share its take on relevant industry issues, provide information requisite to the business, and enable interactions with its current audience and eventual prospects.

Being in business also means committing to things that do not instantly scream profit! at your face. It may feel counterintuitive at times to do things for free, especially in a world where it’s easier to look only at price tags and consider nothing else. But profit isn’t always immediately tangible in business networking.

Sometimes, a long-lasting excellent reputation is worth way more than an instant sell. Offering your help and expertise to people who seem to have issues that you can address might be mutually favorable. Again, while you don’t want to be aggressive, taking the initiative is a good habit. Not only are there possibilities of people eagerly returning favors some other time, helping out may eventually lead to your reputation as a generous person.

To this end, it’s also good to look for opportunities to volunteer your time. Business networking doesn’t require your focus to solely be on your own business; venturing into other fields can actually give you an even broader network. Volunteering in the community gets you in touch with other groups of people who may not seem relevant at first, but could prove helpful in the future.

Inculcating this in yourself will make you appreciate the value of everyone you meet and inspire you to get to know even more people in a deeper way.

One such app that aims to facilitate these connections and encourage people to have fulfilling face-to-face social interactions is BeepBeep Nation. By providing a platform for requestors to get any kind of help they need and for helpers to offer their capacity to help out, what BeepBeep Nation wants is to create a helping economy that will be beneficial for all of its users.

It may seem a little strange to lend a hand without getting anything in return, but as I’ve illustrated regarding business networking, what it provides you is more long-term yield. Simply giving someone a ride or a place to stay for the night is already a huge investment. BeepBeep Nation offers a plethora of these opportunities: aside from a ride or a place to stay, you can assist in medical emergencies and vehicle breakdowns, you may merely give accurate information regarding the restaurant your requestor wants to check out, and other forms of help.

You never know, the person you gave a recommendation for a quaint local café might just be your next great business partner.

Go to the BeepBeep Nation website to find out how to get started. Fuelled by the EMINENT token, BeepBeep Nation is set to launch soon worldwide, starting in selected cities. The EMINENT token pre-sale is currently live, with great bonuses available. Check it out now, and don’t hesitate to participate in a world of change.

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