What Are You Contributing?

It’s a simple question, but one I've never really heard asked before. Five words that could change the way we see the world, the way we treat others, and the way we live each day.

What are you contributing?

We often measure life by what we receive. What we’re given, what’s offered, what shows up in our bank account, in our inbox, or in our relationships. But what if we flipped the script? What if we began measuring our days not by what we took in, but by what we poured out?

In the World Around Us

If we asked ourselves, “What am I contributing?” on a global level, the answers would vary greatly. They may include kindness, creativity, service, innovation, and compassion. It doesn’t matter whether you’re running a company, raising a child, volunteering, or simply choosing to smile at the stranger who looks like they’re having a hard day.

When we begin to ask the question regularly, we start noticing opportunities to make a difference that we might have missed before.We pick up the trash on the sidewalk instead of walking past it.We sent the encouraging text.We share what we have instead of storing it away “just in case.”

The truth is, our contribution is our legacy. Every action, no matter how small, adds up.

In Our Relationships

Now let’s bring it closer to home. What if we asked ourselves, “What am I contributing to this relationship?” with our spouse, our children, our friends, or even our coworkers? What if we asked them what they're contributing? 

Am I contributing trust, patience, understanding, and laughter?Or am I contributing criticism, stress, distance, or silence? Are they giving in this relationship? Or are they only taking?

It’s certainly not about perfection. It’s about awareness. Relationships thrive when both people intentionally bring something good to the table. Sometimes that contribution is a listening ear. Sometimes it’s accountability. Sometimes it’s simply presence like choosing to show up, even when it’s not easy. Sometimes we fail. And they choose to forgive us. Sometimes they fail us, and we choose to forgive them. 

When we see our relationships as gardens, our contributions become seeds. We can’t always control what or how the garden grows, but we can control how we nurture it. 

A Daily Practice

Imagine the ripple effect if each of us asked “What am I contributing?” every single day. We would likely become more generous, more empathetic, and more aware of the needs around us. We’d take ownership of our part in every interaction, instead of waiting for others to change first. Or we notice that maybe we are giving too much. Maybe we are being drained to depletion and not being nurtured back. 

Contribution is active. It’s intentional. And if we've learned anything through Empower and Shine, it’s certainly contagious. When we live this way, we invite others to do the same.

So here’s the challenge: today, ask yourself that question, in your work, in your community, and in your closest relationships, how are you contributing? And how are they contributing back to you? Then act on the answer.

The world is shaped not only by what we take from it, but by what we give back.

So, what are you contributing?