It’s been over a year since the pandemic hit the face of the world, not just the face, but the body, soul, everything of the world. The hustle came to a screeching halt.

Most economies across the world experienced massive job losses and a crashing sense of security. The dire question posed at third world countries was do they let their people die of hunger or of Covid-19? And first world countries too, faced exponential losses financially, socially, mentally as well as emotionally.

Humanity lost millions of lives to coronavirus, which means way more families were impacted directly. There indeed was a ripple of impact. We know this, we have known this.

A lot was lost but some was gained. Hope is what kept us going. Hope alone. We gained perspective. And we gained resilience.

We saw strangers delivering groceries at our doorstep, organizations supporting mental health leaves, attending work calls while feeding our kids , communities coming together and governments responding instead of reacting (some let’s say).

We saw, we felt, we lived through this larger than life challenge that was thrown at us.

How do you feel a year hence? Do you feel strange? More self-aware? More connected to your loved ones? Or more disconnected from the world?

Up until now, life, for a lot of us revolved around I, Me, Myself, my family , my work, my social circle, and the 'my list' could go on.

We all realized this universal truth, come what may, in the face of a global pandemic, we all were equals. There was no way out, no one could bribe their way out of it, or turn a blind eye.

It took us a catastrophe to realize that we are all equals. Some may have more skills and resources than others, but we are all equals.

So we are directed to the question: How might we be a more socially-driven society?

How can we be more mindful of not just each others’ needs but each others’ being!

To put it simply: What is the narrative in your head about social impact? Do you think it is an important part of your self-actualization and also for the advancement of society?

How can we lead more fulfilling lives? By sharing our time, thoughts, skills , and resources with others. By empowering others.

The gratification felt with the sense of contributing to collective growth is massive. Not just that, according to the Deloitte report: The Social Impacts of Covid-19, promoting vertical equity and having a collective mindset is highlighted to be of utmost importance to revive economies.

Are you, like me, are also finding it hard to wrap your heads around the aforementioned heavy terms? Vertical equity is essentially understanding that the pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on some parts of the population. Therefore, it means that the response should be unequal as well, which means disadvantaged groups should receive greater focus and support.

Some social issues such as domestic and family violence, mental health and wellbeing, child protection, and disability have been intensified.

How can we as individuals help? How about integrating social causes into our personal and professional goal setting?

To make this happen, we would have to hold ourselves accountable or even better, find a buddy to execute this with.

As an individual, we could volunteer, which not only makes us feel good about ourselves but also forges a strong character to strengthen our personal brand. Another bonus but not a driver is that it also makes us eligible for government tax credits.

As an organization, you could create or put your CSR budgets to use for pandemic-affected areas. This would vocalize your stand as a company, your mission, mindset, and values. Other socially disruptive concepts that have been floating around are engaging with and/or creating B Corps and social enterprises.

The essence is to, not just always reap from the system but also to repay in some form. And the best form is to make our society worthy and capable. Another universal truth: causes lead to effects. How about creating more noble causes?

Anne Frank’s words always inspire me! There is plenty of room in the world for each of us to grow. A lot of successful people in the world believe in this philosophy. How about believing in ourselves, others’ potential, tapping ours, and helping others tap theirs. And voila, we create a waterfall of growth and development.

Even if our contribution is not huge, let us try, let’s take for instance that it may not serve anything to us, but it definitely will do some good to somebody.

Our startup, Leadogo, strongly stands for equity, empathy, empowerment, and enabling others to create good causes. Leadogo stands for Leaders in doing Good. We are a social learning network comprised of a diverse global community of people of all ages who are driving change and supporting each other in their quest for personal, societal, or organizational development.

Join hands with us, let’s fulfill this social mission together.