Introduction: The Power of Your Presence
Have you ever stopped to wonder what you bring to the world? Not your job title, not your accomplishments, but the essence of you, your unique way of being that ripples through every interaction, every relationship, every moment of your life?
Step 1 of the journey to World Peace begins with a profound yet simple truth: You have a service to provide, and that service is your shine. It’s everything you bring to the table, and the first step toward creating peace in your world is learning to recognize and share that service with your community.
The Wisdom of a Baby: Your Inherent Value
Let’s start with an unconventional teacher: a baby.
Each of us entered this world completely vulnerable, seemingly offering nothing tangible in return for the care we received. Yet people around us chose to invest their time, energy, and resources into our wellbeing. Why? Because even as tiny, undeveloped humans, we offered something invaluable.
Babies provide pure joy, hope, and the privilege of witnessing a fresh life unfolding. There’s something intrinsically fulfilling about being in the presence of a life with no hidden agenda, no pretense, just authentic being. As the author challenges us: “I dare you to go around telling everyone babies are useless.” You can’t, because they’re not. They’re “awesome bundles of useful joy.”
Here’s the revelation: If a baby’s service is simply to be a baby, what about you? You’re not a baby anymore, but that original essence that beautiful, innocent presence still exists underneath all your life experiences, achievements, and accumulated knowledge.
Your service is your life itself.
Be the Change: Gandhi’s Revolutionary Wisdom
Mahatma Gandhi, the beloved leader of India’s liberation movement, fundamentally changed how we understand our individual role in society. When asked what he would change about the world if he had one wish, his response was revolutionary in its simplicity:
“You must BE the change you wish to see in the world.”
This isn’t just inspirational rhetoric it’s a practical blueprint for transformation. Gandhi understood that exemplary living is unavoidable. As tribal creatures, humans are constantly observing how everyone around us behaves. We learn through modeling, through witnessing, through experiencing the energy others bring into our shared spaces.
Understanding how important you are to your fellow human beings has the potential to cure many social and even political issues. The way you show up in the world affects everyone around you, creating ripples that extend far beyond what you can immediately see.
What Does Step 1 Actually Mean?
Step 1 is about showing up, putting your best foot forward, and proclaiming to the world that you’ll always do your best. It’s a commitment to:
1. Personal Accountability
Taking full responsibility for who you are and how you show up in every situation. This means owning your actions, your energy, and your impact on others not as a burden, but as an empowering choice.
2. An Attitude of Success
Adopting a mindset that says, “I’m committed to bringing my best to whatever I do.” This isn’t about perfection; it’s about consistent effort and genuine engagement with life.
3. Authentic Service
Recognizing that your skills, practices, and experiences combined with that original baby-like presence create a unique offering that only you can provide to the world.
The Transformation: Becoming “Super Duper Useful”
When you genuinely take Step 1, something remarkable happens: people notice. Not because you’re trying to impress them, but because there’s an unmistakable quality to someone who’s committed to being their best self and serving from that place.
Those who recognize that you’ve taken this step will intuitively know you’re doing the right thing. You become, as the author playfully notes, “super fun to be around, because you become super duper useful!”
This usefulness isn’t about being a workhorse or sacrificing your wellbeing. It’s about the joy and fulfillment that naturally flows from a life lived with purpose and presence.
Practical Applications: How to Practice Step 1
Discover Your Shine
- Reflect on your natural gifts: What comes easily to you that others struggle with?
- Notice what energizes you: What activities make you lose track of time?
- Ask trusted friends: “What do you appreciate about having me in your life?”
Share Your Service
- Start where you are: You don’t need to change the world tomorrow. Begin with your immediate environment your family, your workplace, your neighborhood.
- Be consistent: Show up regularly with your best effort, even in small interactions.
- Stay authentic: Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Your unique combination of qualities is your service.
Model Excellence
- Live your values: Let your actions reflect what you believe in.
- Stay accountable: When you fall short, acknowledge it and recommit.
- Inspire through being: Remember that people are always watching and learning from how you navigate life.
The Ripple Effect of Your Service
When you commit to Step 1, you’re not just improving your own life, you’re contributing to a fundamental shift in how humans interact with one another. Every time you choose to bring your best self to a situation, you:
- Create permission for others to do the same
- Raise the standard for what’s possible in human interaction
- Contribute to a culture of excellence and mutual support
- Plant seeds of peace that can grow in ways you’ll never fully know
Conclusion: Your Service Matters
The journey to World Peace begins with you discovering and sharing your unique service with the world. It’s not about grand gestures or perfect performance. It’s about the daily choice to show up as your best self, to take responsibility for your presence in the world, and to offer your authentic gifts to your community.
Your service is your shine. It’s everything you bring to the table your skills, your presence, your energy, your commitment to excellence. And when you step into this truth, when you truly take Step 1, you become part of the solution our world desperately needs.
So ask yourself: What is my service? How can I share my shine today? And most importantly: Am I willing to be the change I wish to see in the world?
The answer to these questions is the beginning of your journey toward personal peace and, ultimately, toward contributing to World Peace itself.
Remember: You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to show up, do your best, and let your authentic light shine. The world is waiting for what only you can offer.