This world is both mad and achingly beautiful. If you’ve been living for any number of decades then you’ve had to experience this paradox.

For as long as I can remember I’ve felt like despite the absolute magnificence of this earth, there was so much that was wrong about the way we were living life on it. The extreme socioeconomic inequalities, the way we were treating one another and ourselves, our environment, racism and marginalization, the list goes on. There’s a term in Hebrew called Tikkun Olam, which in essence means repair of the world and refers to actions needed to repair or create positive change. The concept always resonated with me, and throughout my working life I found myself involved with non-profits and other companies who dedicated their mission to that end. This was a core value of mine.

But there’s something quite undercutting about the self-concept associated with this role. Call it ‘activist’ or ‘helper’, the role of the one who takes on the immense weight of having to ‘fix’ that which is broken inevitably requires that one continuously give, even beyond what is possible. A sort of self-sacrificing identity that places the good of the all above the good of the self. I caught myself saying once: “why should I deserve to have when so many others in the world do not?” It was a real jolt to my conscious self when I realized I was carrying this belief.

When I looked closer at this idea of ‘fixing’ the world that seemed to be so broken, alongside the sense of overwhelm at the thought that it was somehow my responsibility to do so, I recognized that the best way to actually create change is to start from within. That by examining the areas within myself that I have yet to grow or transform and taking action from a place of wholeness – bringing my whole self to whatever I do – that I can create the most impact. That is, in fact, the deeper meaning of Tikkun Olam – the fine-tuning of our world’s harmony. When we each bring our own unique voice and contribution, we reveal the magnificence of this creation.

It took me several years to de-condition this helper role and to start embodying this deeper meaning. But with more of a focus on the self and creating change from within, this deeper sense of joy started bubbling up. A surrender to the truth that my value is already inherent and that I do not need to over-give and self-sacrifice in order to make my contribution to the world. That the world needs me to be nourished and joyful and rested and that from that state of being I can create a much bigger ripple than I ever could from a place of lack.

Today I’m claiming this birthright. This sense of ease and flow, of truly being embedded in a life-positive universe and sensing all that I have to give from this place of joy. And if this resonates and you can relate in any way to that identity of the over-giver, then I’d like to invite you to join me in this claim. We live in such interesting times, where we can either feel crushed by the weight of everything that we know is wrong or we can choose to see the beauty and possibility that surrounds us and act from a place of radical self-responsibility. I choose the latter.