Lessons We Can Learn from the Disaster in Haiti

The disaster in Haiti this week can mean more than just a headline to us - for me, it was a lesson in empathy.

Prior to the earthquake, I heard about the ongoing UN aid efforts in Haiti led by President Clinton, and I was moved by the reports of wide spread poverty, hunger and civil unrest in the area.

So when the news of the disaster broke, I decided to take action by doing my research on how best to help (donating was recommended by numerous officials as being the most effective) and making an online donation to the Red Cross. Although it was only a modest donation, I did what I could, within my ability, to help the situation.

Next, I updated my facebook profile and wrote an email to my contacts with info on how to donate.

I'm sharing this story not only because it's been on my mind this week but also as an example of how we can choose to take action rather than let important causes turn into another headline. It's been a topic of conversation for me to share with people.

I wanted to mobilize the people in my network and raise awareness on the situation in Haiti, but we can do the same with any cause we find important. I've been interested in topics involving the environment, specifically green building and sustainability, and researching ways on how to help (more on that soon).

In conclusion, social skills can help us further a cause we believe in and change the world in our own ways. It's not about how much change we can create, but what we can do within our means and taking action to achieve it.