🔥 Consumption vs. contribution: In Community #69

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“The most important thing is to do something with what you have.” – Ai Weiwei

Last Sunday marked Eid, the celebration that signals the end of Ramadan, the month-long period of fasting observed by nearly 2 billion people globally.

At this year’s Eid Prayer held in NYC’s Washington Square Park – AKA the Muslim Met Gala – Imam Khalid Latif brought up the idea of consumption vs. contribution.

Traditionally, Ramadan is a time for patience, reflection, and growth. It’s also a time to reinforce gratitude for what you have and consider what you can contribute to others.

How much thought have you given to what you’re putting out in the world – what you’re regularly contributing rather than consuming?

When I wrote about my resignation and exploring what’s possible for yourself last week, I asked a question about living the lives we’re capable of living.

It starts with recognizing what we have and what we do with it.

Ai Weiwei, the contemporary artist and activist, uses his art to raise awareness about the societal issues that affect us.

Through striking installations made from repurposed materials to highlight lives impacted after an earthquake, to documentaries exploring themes like migration, WeiWei uses what he has in order to help us see what we couldn’t see before.

As I’ve progressed through my career, I’ve asked myself about the contributions I’m making:

👉🏽 Is the work I’m doing purpose-driven?

👉🏽 Is my consumption balanced by my contribution?

👉🏽 Am I using what I have – my talent, skills, resources, and community – to do something good?

Have you asked yourself these questions?

The beauty of recognizing what each of us has is understanding that it varies from person to person. It may not feel big, but recognizing the good that you can do – in your own way, in your own space – is what helps us all move forward.

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In community,

Fahad