Why should I care?

Do not constrain the possibilities of extending your reach based on criteria being an introvert or extrovert, mature or younger. It may be instinctive to think about the effect on others through a lens of mentorship. Some of us may bulk at the idea for a multitude of reasons. The idea is to remain unassuming as to how, when and why the comfort zone might get stretched, even if it is by exception. Therefore, it is not about thinking of oneself as a mentor “on a mission”. Also, it is not necessarily about skills, or the self-confidence about “who am I to mentor?”. People need a non-imposing sounding board communicating back through humility. 

Being available for someone, or taking up a more formal mentorship, is not a privilege or power. It is a service. In fact, learning more about yourself is part of the journey. Never say never to a possibility of learning. 

The unassuming approach to help someone calls for unassuming helpers. Neelix philosophy is based on the premise that keeping a private diary or inspecting themes should not be an overhead or a must. Ahoc self-reflection is perfectly fine. At the end of the day it is more about intent than ritual. For instance, one of the people you care about might be helped by building up internal strength with a help of a private diary and some guidance at a particular juncture of their life.

Over a longer time span, adhoc capture of experiences also carries a fun factor. Getting together for some event can feature a momentary glance at info-graphics in order to visualise a collective or individualised journey to date. This check point can add an extra dimension to family or friends gathering, school reunion, team celebrations, etc.