I’m deeply saddened by what happened at the King Soopers in Boulder, Colorado this week. I was also conflicted in writing about it here because this message each week is meant to be uplifting and motivational. I also fear that the over publication of these tragic events leads to more of them happening in the future and I am reluctant to be part of that. With that being said, this literally hits a little too close to home for me not to acknowledge it and comes on the heels of another shooting in Atlanta.

My heart is breaking for the people that lost their lives through no fault of their own, during a routine part of their day. My heart breaks for the families that are grieving unimaginable losses. And my heart breaks for a society in which members come to the conclusion that the random killing of innocent people is appropriate and are willing to follow through on it.

Despite these horrific events, I believe we have to continue to remember that there is so much positivity in our world. There are countless stories of good deeds being done, generosity being spread and courageous acts in the face of adversity. I believe we also have a responsibility as leaders to shine a light on these stories and highlight the good in our world. There are people that are hurting, that need to know it’s going to be ok, that need to know they are cared for. We have opportunities to do that everyday for those around us. Not just the people in our inner circles, but also the random strangers we interact with. We don’t always know what people are going through and because of that, we may never know the positive impact that we can have on their lives through a small respectful gesture such as acknowledgement with a smile or a helping hand.

As leaders, we have opportunity to show strength in taking steps toward recovery. We can’t fear showing up for work, going to the store, sending our children to school or attending church services. We need to express our gratitude for things that we often take for granted and encourage others to do the same. And we need to embrace the fact that we truly are better together instead of all trying to forge ahead on solo missions.

Trying to fix many of our societal issues is a daunting task and something that seems out of reach for one person. But if we all take small steps to make a positive impact on the lives of others, it will create a ripple effect that just might get us closer to a world with a brighter future. A world with more patience and less rushing to judgment. A world with more gratitude and less selfishness. A world in which we can celebrate the good in each other without devaluing our own self worth. A world with more love and less hate.