“New Year, new me!” How many times have you heard that this New Years season? Honestly, how many people do you actually think will follow through with that statement, or any of their other resolutions? After the high of the New Year wears off, we tend to go back to our normal ways and forget about some of our resolutions. But I have a challenge for you. This year, give up your own rights to make someone else happy.

Last year in October, I went to Greeley, Colorado for one week. Along with the other seven volunteers from my church, we teamed up with Samaritans Purse Disaster Relief Organization and helped clean affected areas of the Colorado floods. I was motivated to see first hand what a disaster was like. One sees the footage on the news of disasters and usually thinks, “what a shame,” but what does it really look, sound, smell and feel like to be in the heart of the disaster? Most importantly, I wanted to help. The victims had little to no flood insurance and their homes were absolutely destroyed. At some homes the water level reached seven feet! You can only imagine how much damage must have been done. While I was sitting in my clean, warm, dry, house I felt guilty taking my comfort for granted, and I felt the desire to help the victims of the flood so they could jumpstart their recovery. The expression of pure hope and gratefulness I witnessed was better than any birthday or Christmas gift I could ever receive. The feeling I had watching the tears of agony turn to tears of joy as we helped the homeowners clean up the mess they were left all alone with is indescribable. I hope that one day you all can experience something similar.

So why have I shared this? Because if I, a small town, high school girl, was able to make a difference in strangers lives for the better, so can you. I’m not saying run to the Philippines and begin your own disaster relief organization, although that would be a huge blessing. Instead, realize others might have it harder than you, and give up some of your own comfort to make their lives better. Just as I crawled under a man’s house in two inches of thick smelly mud to clean it up, if you see an elderly person standing while you’re sitting comfortably, offer them your seat. Yes, you have the right to sit there, but do you need it as much as the achy, tired, elderly person? Probably not. Small acts of love add up quickly, and people appreciate the care and love that they are shown. Not to mention, what could be better than knowing you have made a difference in someone’s day? I challenge you to make a kind act whenever the opportunity is there, even if no one notices it. Trust me, seeing the person’s face light up with happiness because of something you did is a wonderful blessing. Through this experience, I learned that my struggles aren’t comparable to others, so why should I stray from helping them? So, here it is. Go out there and make a difference. Make this 2014 resolution one that you keep, believe me, you won’t regret it!