Feeling stressed and powerless in today’s chaotic world? At every turn, we are faced with important concerns: political turmoil, global warming, environmental disasters, wars, pollution, human rights, and skyrocketing mental health issues. We struggle with broken healthcare, education, financial, and housing systems—plus so much more. The challenges in today’s world can leave even the most well-balanced among us feeling anxious, depressed, and disempowered. If you find yourself losing sleep or feeling constantly stressed by the upheaval that’s occurring near and far, you’ve got lots of company. Could acts of loving kindness and mindful intention be key solutions to creating the change our world desperately needs? Can each one of us make a difference? Join Dr. Carla and social change advocate Magali Limeta for an inspiring, upbeat conversation focused on how we can each take small steps that have the power to make a huge difference.

Books by Dr. Carla Manly:

Date Smart: Transform Your Relationships and Love Fearlessly

Joy From Fear: Create the Life of Your Dreams by Making Fear Your Friend

Aging Joyfully: A Woman’s Guide to Optimal Health, Relationships, and Fulfillment for Her 50s and Beyond

The Joy of Imperfect Love: The Art of Creating Healthy, Securely Attached Relationships

Connect with Dr. Carla Manly:

Website: https://www.drcarlamanly.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcarlamanly/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/drcarlamanly/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drcarlamanly

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-marie-manly-8682362b/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.carlamariemanly8543

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr_carla_manly

Connect with Magali Limeta:

Website: https://www.magalilimeta.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/magali-limeta-0a648a3a/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magali4novato/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Magali-Limeta-for-Novato-School-Board/100084059678536/

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Watch the episode here

Listen to the podcast here

Feeling Powerless? Create BIG Changes in Your World via Small Acts of Kindness with Expert Magali Limeta

YOU have the Power to Create Change in Today’s World! Little Acts of Kindness and Love Can Make a HUGE Difference!

The chaotic state of this world can leave even the most well-balanced among us feeling anxious, depressed, and powerless. If you find yourself losing sleep or feeling constantly stressed and anxious by the upheaval occurring near and far, you’ve lots of company. Each day, we are reminded of significant concerns, including political turmoil, global warming, environmental disasters, wars, pollution, human rights issues, financial crises, skyrocketing mental health problems, and so much more.

Could acts of kindness filled with mindful intention be one of the key solutions to creating the change we so desperately need? We’ll focus on this reader’s real-life question. I feel constantly on edge about global warming and the negative political environment. My partner and I both go down the rabbit hole of doom scrolling, and we get overwhelmed by worrisome news stories. Our two kids seem to get more anxious by the day. What are your tips? With that question, it is the focus of this episode.

We are joined by a special guest, Magali Limeta, who will be sharing her significant expertise on positive, proactive change. Magali is an inspirational leader who advocates for social change and general change that will make us and the world a better place. Welcome to the show, Magali. I am delighted and honored to share time with you.

Thank you so much, Dr. Manly, for having me. It’s an honor.

It’s such a joy to have you. Before we launch into our discussion and get to the roots of the reader’s question, do you mind telling us about what makes you you?

I’m a first-generation Mexican American. My parents migrated from Mexico in the late ‘80s and have been a positive influence in my life. From a young age, they taught my brothers and me the idea of being kind, paying it forward, and being of service to others. Through that, it’s been my North Star of being of service to others and being able to pay it forward to people who have helped me navigate the educational system as a first-generation college student. Those are things that motivate me to help the next generation be better leaders for their communities, society, and the world.

Your journey hasn’t been easy. It’s been step by step. Can you say more about some of the challenges you’ve encountered and how you’ve overcome them? The reason I’m asking this is because many of us who don’t have a good start in life, whether it’s financially or education, feel like, “I can’t overcome these hurdles.” You are someone who, through great dedication, perseverance, and positivity, made a beautiful journey. I know it’s going to continue to unfold. If you don’t mind, share about that journey with us.

As a first-generation Mexican American, I entered the educational system. My parents didn’t speak English. I was responsible for translating documents. As a kid in kindergarten, I would translate the parent-teacher conferences. The unique thing is that my parents are not college-educated, but my father was passionate about us having a college education. He knew it was important because it was going to change my life. I don’t know where this man learned this because he is not college-educated, but he was smart in that aspect.

I knew I was going to go to college, but I didn’t know how. I didn’t know about SATs and AP courses. Looking back, I was like, “I didn’t know a lot.” My community was teachers. It was people who said, “This is how you do this. You should get involved in this organization. Have you thought about this?” I’m like, “These were my angels. These are the people that helped me flourish.”

I still remember my chemistry teacher, Mark Neiman. He was like, “You can do this. You can do X, Y, and Z.” I want to thank my health teacher in my freshman year, Ms. Kesla Early, who was like, “You should be involved in this organization.” That organization basically recruited youth to come to the table with adults to discuss issues that are happening in the community and come up with solutions. It was because of them that I was able to excel in high school.

I was such a good student. I was getting good grades in high school. In my senior year, I didn’t have the requirements to go to college. In California, we have this thing called AG requirements. There are a set of courses that you have to take to enroll in the CSU UC system. I didn’t have the requirements. I thought I was going to go to a four-year college. That was a plan. Somehow, I didn’t have the math requirements. I ended up going to the JC. I learned to ask questions and advocate for myself. Here we are. I’m involved in things that help the next generation make it easier for them.

You said many things that made me listen to you. I’m proud of you because it’s not an easy journey, especially first generation. There are many things to navigate, and you have done it. Share a little bit about the work you do now, not your 8:00 to 6:00 job, no 9:00 to 5:00 job, but also the work you do in the community because I know that you are, have become, and will continue to be an angel for many other people. You brought up the concept of how people were angels in your life and how you believe in paying it forward.

I know you continue to do this. It’s one of the reasons I wanted you on the show. It’s because you walk your talk. That’s important because that’s going back to the reader’s question, which we’ll keep looking at. It’s about knowing that we can all make a change, even in little ways, but you are doing it in nice big ways. Talk about your work.

I work in healthcare. What I love about healthcare is you’re always helping the patient who’s sick. You try to do your best to make sure that they feel comfortable when they come into the hospital or when they get their bill. A lot of families can’t afford healthcare. You try to basically find ways to make sure that they get the financial support they need.

I sit on the board of Habitat for Humanity in the Bay Area. I advocate for families to be first-time home buyers. The stories you hear are that parents never imagine buying a home in the Bay Area because it’s expensive. I’m being able to meet these families and their stories of how they’re getting a habitat home. The unique part of Habitat is that people help build their homes, and I love that.

The other thing that I do is I’m passionate about serving my community. I ran for school board. I ran on a post. I didn’t have an election, but I got to serve in the community where I grew up. It’s an honor. I don’t think a lot of people can say that, but for me, it’s a full circle moment where I’m advocating for kids like me, who are first-gens and don’t understand the education system. I try to be a voice to be like, “This is what’s happening. What are we doing about this? How can we work together with different community members, parents, the district, and the system?” Those are the main things that I’ve been focusing on in the last couple of years.

You are amazing and inspiring because you’ve gone from nothing into not only someone who has quite a lot going for her but you are a force of good in the world. You are one of the angels that the world needs. Thank you for the backstory. I know there’s so much more to you than that, but let’s go to the reader’s question.

When we look at the state of the world, many people come to me saying how anxious they are about whether it’s their finances, not having housing, not being able to get a good education for themselves or their kids or global warming, the pollution that is taking over our world, the wars, the political unrest there’s a lot on our plates, physically, mentally, and emotionally. What is some sage advice that you would have for the reader who’s saying, “There’s so much going on.” This individual is focusing on this person. It is the negative news and the political unrest. What would you say? What are some tips you might have for her?

There’s a lot going on in the world now. Part of the question was they doom scroll. We need to take care of ourselves. We are the most important thing. What I like to do is sometimes get off social media because it’s emotionally a lot. You can get caught up easily on that. I deleted my social media. For the month of December, I deleted it for a few weeks because I needed a break.

What I did was go for a walk every morning during the time that I wasn’t on my phone or reading the news. I like to wake up and read the news. What’s going on? It’s like one bad news after the other. You’re like, “I can’t do this.” Go for a walk in the morning and be present. I’m enjoying my walk and breathing the fresh air. That helps my emotional and mental state. It does wonders. That’s one piece of advice that I would give. Delete social media, and try to spend your time out in nature.

The second thing is there are things that we can control. Dr. Manly, that’s us going to the polls and voting for elected leaders who are going to try to find solutions to what’s happening locally, nationally, in the world. Read who’s running for office, city council, school board, assembly members, or Senate. Do you think they’re going to represent you? You can volunteer for their campaigns. An election is coming up. I would encourage your readers, those who are able to register if they haven’t, and if they have and you like an elected official or a candidate, to get involved. That’s how we come up with solutions. We work together and elect people who reflect our values.

Those are such good points and so important that I want to go back to each one if you don’t mind. The first is getting off social media. It doesn’t mean forever. You can do it for two weeks, a month, or forever. If you are doing something that you realize is causing anxiety or depression, why do it? There are ways to consume news.

I like saying to Alexa, “Alexa NPR news update.” I get the news update. It’s easy to digest because I’m not getting graphic or sensationalized images from the TV. I’m getting something that is straightforward. It’s not as triggering or as anxiety-inducing as overly dramatic images that we might see on social media or TV.

We can put ourselves on a mindful social media and news consumption diet. I’m also an advocate of not consuming news close to bedtime or, if you have kids in the house, not letting them around sensationalized images because the reader’s kids are getting anxious. It sounds to me as if her kids are absorbing the mom’s anxiety, the partner’s anxiety, and the anxiety in the world.

We have that one. The next one, which I’m segmenting into its own piece, is time for self-care, being able to slow down even if you don’t have time for a half-hour or an hour walk. I’ve got to have my morning walks like you. I need that for my wellness. Self-care is vital because if we don’t have good care for ourselves, we’re not able to show up for ourselves or the other people in our lives. I’m with you on that piece.

Time in nature, whether you live in a city, the country, or somewhere in between. It can be a walk around the block. It can be hugging a tree for a minute to feel that nice strong energy. Who cares if somebody thinks you’re nutty for hugging a tree? I don’t care. It makes sense, and I’m glad that’s one of your go-to’s because it’s free. We can access it generally no matter where we live, some fresh air. I appreciate that it’s one of your go-to’s.

The next one where you were talking about is voting. It’s important for us not necessarily to vote along party lines. We’re free to do that if we want, but we need to be mindful of what this candidate stands for. Having their values match what you are after. The other piece is you can volunteer for a campaign. If you believe in a certain candidate, get out there and volunteer if you have the time. The other piece I’m putting in there is you can run for office. That may seem big and a little bit, “I can’t do that for people.” I noticed when I was doing background research on who you are that you used a certain forum when you ran. What was it called?

Run For Something is an organization. Thank you for saying that. Please run for office. Sometimes, you might see a candidate who doesn’t reflect your values, and you might be that person that your community needs.

I can hear some of our readers, even me, saying, “I’m busy. I have many other tasks to do.” Other people might be saying, who would vote for me? I’m just a dad, a mom, or a worker. What would your response be to that?

There are many resources out there that are encouraging other new people coming up to run for office. I would say research. If you don’t want to run for office because you are busy, encourage someone to run for office. I heard this crazy statistic that you have to ask a woman seven times to run before she says yes. Plant the seed.

When you see someone who reflects your values and has leadership skills, encourage them. Sometimes, you can’t be what you can’t see. When people asked me to run, I was like, “No.” It’s for many reasons. I was like, “I can’t do this.” It becomes easier. I got this. I’ve been out in the community forever. I’ve done many service projects. I’ve been in many roles. It becomes easier as you get into the arena.

Thank you for saying that because for our readers to read that, it was intimidating for you at first. That’s a natural response when we take on a new role. I love the idea of Run for Something, and I’ll put that in the show notes. If there’s some part of you that’s saying, “I want to make a difference in my community,” I’m sure there are positions that match up for someone who has 5, 10, or 40 hours a week to give. Thank you for saying that.

Another piece that I want to bring out, and I’m sure you’ve done this. There’s such a homeless crisis in our community. Instead of griping or lamenting about it and feeling disempowered, I went to a county meeting and stood up with what ended up being droves of other people. They only gave each of us 60 seconds to speak. At least we all had a chance to have a voice and feel empowered because we were doing something. Me being me, I created a script to read from and had all of these things to offer that were well researched. I didn’t have the opportunity to do any of that.

Even in preparing it, I felt sure of my viewpoint and felt that if I wanted, I could take what I had written here and send it to the editor of a newspaper. We can all do these little things that help channel that anxiety and stress into a positive direction instead of feeling that the world’s happening to us. We become part of what’s happening in the world. What do you think?

There are many platforms where you can share your opinion. Something that I like to do when I am on social media is uplift other voices. Who is coming up with a solution? Who’s coming up with a good policy? I share that on my social media for my followers to see because sometimes, you can lose hope. It’s easy to lose hope, but I’m optimistic about the world. I don’t want to lose hope. I don’t ever want to be that person. If I ever do, I’m going to come back to read this interview.

We all have a platform, whether it’s talking to our leaders during open forums, sending solutions, writing to our elected officials, or getting involved in the community. A couple of days ago, the state of California did its unhoused count, where you get to go around your community and understand how many unhoused people live there. You can get federal dollars. There are different ways to volunteer and become part of the solution.

Going back to the reader’s question, where she’s feeling anxious and concerned with the state of the world, if she can become part of the solution and her partner become part of the solution, invite the two kiddos to become part of the solution. I’m thinking of this one. It might have been a poem that I saw. It was about starfish on the beach. There were thousands of starfish on the beach. The person was picking them up and throwing them back so they didn’t die. Somebody came up and said, “Why are you doing that? There are so many starfish on this beach. You’re never going to save them all.” The person said, “I’m not going to focus on the ones I can’t save. I’m going to focus on how many I can save.”

That’s hope and optimism. That is being a proactive servant and a participant in the world. I was recently traveling. I was dismayed by the pollution in the country I was in. I’m saddened by it. My partner is used to me. No matter what beach or street I go to, I’m picking up trash. I don’t have gloves on. I should have gloves on, but I don’t. I’m picking it up and finding a place to throw it away in a trash can. My husband saw me practically crying because this gorgeous beach had more trash than my arms could hold. He’s not willing to hold it. I completely understand that. I’m picking up trash. I finally found a trash bin at this one place and picked up more.

Long story short, I realized that he said, “You have to not be depressed about this. You can only do so much.” I remembered that starfish poem about picking up what you can. If we all do that, whether we’re on a beach, on city streets, or on a walking path where I pick up trash, I am happy to do so. Doing acts of service doesn’t have to be trash picking up if that’s not your thing. It can be opening a door for someone and being an angel and paying it forward by buying somebody a coffee, giving money to an unhoused person, making a donation to Habitat for Humanity, or running for political office.

There are many little acts of service that we can do. Instead of channeling our energy into the world as such a polluted place or global warming, it may be that your act of kindness for the day is walking to the grocery store instead of driving there. If you only have a few things to pick up. It may be your act of service to write a letter to your congressperson. What do you think about those little acts of kindness or service?

I’m a big fan of small kinds of kindness. Thank you for bringing up going to the grocery store and picking up garbage. For me, a big one is I went to the grocery store. What do I do every time I go to the grocery store and I’m at the checkout line? I asked the employee, “How are you?” They’re confused. They’re like, “I’m well. Thank you for asking. No one has asked me that ever before.” I’m like, “What?” It goes a long way because it’s saying that I see you as a person. I’m making them feel important at that moment.

In every interaction I have, I like to treat people as if they’re the most important person now because, in that moment, they are. It’s important for me to have a positive experience. I’m asking them, “Tell me about yourself.” I’m a big fan of those little small moments. I also like to pick up trash. If someone is seeing me do that, they will start doing that. It’s incredible, especially for kids. Those little things go a long way.

These are things we can all do to engage in kind ways with the people around us. I’m a little embarrassed to say this because I’m working on it. I’m not perfect, but I will often ask the person at the supermarket, “How are you doing?” I zone out and don’t pay attention to the answer. I’m doing it more as a nicety than being truly intentional with that. I’m listening to the response and engaging. Thank you for that. It reminds me to keep working on that. When I ask someone, “How are you doing?” Paying attention to the answer so that person feels important at the moment.

You never know what difference that will make in that person’s stay. They may feel or go home more uplifted and be nicer to their kiddo, pet, or partner. If they’re living alone, they feel less isolated because they feel better and less hopeless about the state of the world because it does have a big snowball effect.

You have offered many tips for this reader but also for us in general. What else would you say are a few other things people can do to feel less stressed, anxious, and depressed about the world and more empowered and hopeful about the little things they do? They are choosing not to take a straw. That’s huge. It may seem small, but when we choose to say no thank you to the straw, or no thank you to the plastic cap on a coffee, those little things make a big difference in the world.

They do because they’re not going to end up in the sea or the ocean. Animals are not going to get stuck.

It’s tough to think about.

Another form of self-care is journaling. Being able to put your thoughts on paper and being able to express yourself will reduce anxiety. At least for me, that works. I’m trying to make it a practice. That’s one of my New Year’s resolutions because it does. You’re writing your emotions and feeling and being able to be like, “That felt so much better.” I agree with you about the straw. You can bring your cup to the coffee shop now at Starbucks.

I didn’t know that.

You can do that. You’re reducing weight, not taking a plastic cup from the coffee shop. I was excited about that. I was like, “Great.”

I’ll have to do that and start taking a Puppuccino cup with me for my dog’s whipped cream because he loves that. Thank you. We’re already spreading good by spreading awareness. I don’t want to skip over your piece on journaling. I agree with you. If we have a place to journal, it doesn’t have to be all meditative.

One of my clients one time called a vomit journal. She used it to put in all the negativity. It felt like it was a safe, good place to blurt it out. I said, “That’s perfect. Don’t go back and read it because we don’t want to go back into that negative. We want to seal it up, keep it away from our bed, and have a safe place where we can get rid of all of the issues that make you feel stressed, anxious, and depressed. In concert with that, continue to take little steps in the world to make your community and life a better place. You’re such a perfect example of that.

Thank you, Dr. Manly.

It’s such a privilege to have you on the show. What do you think when it comes to our world as it is, aside from the environmental and political issues you’ve talked about housing? One more topic I’d like to cover because you’re such an expert is realizing that the medical system is broken. I remember one time, years ago, there was a hospital issue. I had to pay it off.

I remember celebrating. It was this ginormous bill. I sent in my monthly payments until they were paid off and thought, “I wish I never encountered that ever again because it was such a struggle.” For people who don’t have the financial wherewithal to have health insurance or don’t have the government insurance that they wish they were able to access, what would be some thoughts on how they might be able to navigate that or make a difference in their community on that front?

I’ve been in healthcare for several years. In California, hospitals have to have a charity program. They’re able to apply for that if they don’t qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicaid. There’s a charity app. If you qualify, sometimes they’ll write off your bill because you can’t afford it. If someone is making $10,000 or $15,000 a year, they can’t pay $200,000 or $300,000. That’s when the charity application comes in for two healthcare systems.

They are generous, and it makes a difference. You have to worry about your physical health, and the financial aspect could bring anxiety. You’re scared that you’re not going to get the services you need because you can’t afford to pay. There are laws around this. If you go to an emergency room, they can’t deny you services because you’re not able to pay. That’s not the case. It makes people feel more comfortable when they know that there is a charity program and financial support.

For someone who might not be aware of those things, Googling free medical care in my community or programs for medical care would be helpful.

It depends on the hospital. You can Google the local hospital and see what their charity program is or learn more about their charity program. I also want us to make a plug here for community clinics. Community clinics are amazing because, the majority of the time, they offer free services to people who can’t afford healthcare. It’s where they get their primary care. I’m a big supporter of clinics. Sometimes, if you’re able to, I would encourage your readers to make a donation because sometimes, patients don’t pay, or Medi-Cal and Medicaid, as it’s known in other states, accept those insurances.

Thank you, you made me think. A few days ago, there was someone I knew who couldn’t afford medical care. This person was having an eye issue that was hurting. I googled online. I knew there was a community clinic around the clinic that does good work. She was able to get an appointment for no cost, nothing at all.

We can remember that for ourselves and other people. We can be those angels by googling something for somebody or driving them there if they need a ride. When I went to the place’s website, they took donations. They’re looking for volunteers. These are always whether we might have medical care ourselves, but if we want to be a force of change in the world, we don’t want to forget that there are all of these places where, if we have a little bit of extra money or time, we can give time to support because we can.

That’s a piece that I’m glad we got to at the end of this. Many people volunteer around the holidays at soup kitchens and all of the different places that need help during the holidays. They are giving gifts to kids. Many places need us all year long, not just during the holidays when we think about it, which is totally terrific and wonderful, but we can all channel our anxiety and sense of being unempowered and disempowered by doing these small acts. They don’t have to be huge.

We try to ring the bell for the Salvation Army every year at Christmas. One of my favorite parts of doing that is seeing moms or dads bring their little kids up where they may be putting a quarter or a dollar in the bucket. They’re teaching kids at age three that I can give to help others, not that I’m plugging any particular charity, but Salvation Army, like Habitat for Humanity. They give almost everything back to the community, which is not the same as all charities. Some have a lot of money they use for the bureaucratic end of things rather than the doing good end of things.

Thank you for bringing up that piece about volunteering because, no matter how busy we are, we can find something to do to make the world a better place. You are doing it in spades. You were such a powerhouse, and it’s such a joy to connect with you. Are there any other tidbits you would like to share, Magali, before we wrap up?

One thing that I would like to say is going back to what I said earlier. It takes one person and situation to change somebody’s life. I want to be able to encourage your readers when they see something in someone or if someone needs some help or resource to help them. It could be an email introduction to a student who wants to be a lawyer. If you have a lawyer in your friend circle, introduce them. They don’t have information on how to get to college. You have kids who recently graduated, and you can offer some assistance in that way. Let’s spread kindness in this world. It’s what we need right now.

Those are such beautiful parting words because you’re basically saying, “Take the energy that is anxious and stressed. Channel it into being somebody’s angel. It doesn’t have to be a huge way. These are little ways that, if we all do that, we’re taking our stress and anxiety and channeling it into good. It makes us feel better because we can’t feel anxious, stressed, and joyful about what we’re doing at the same time. The joy of doing good and being kind helps the stress and anxiety evaporate. You do it. I am thrilled that you’ve spent your energy and time with us. Thank you, Magali. Where can our readers find you or follow you?

Thank you, Dr. Manly, for having me. It’s an honor to be in your presence and followers. You can find me on Instagram, Magali4Novato. I’m also on LinkedIn, Magali Lata. If anyone is interested in learning about healthcare or getting jobs in healthcare, I’m more than happy to connect. Those are some of the ways that they can connect with me.

Thank you again for your service, kindness, and beautiful energy in the world. Thanks to our readers. We appreciate you and your energy, and this is Imperfect Love.

Important Links

• Magali Limeta – LinkedIn
• Habitat for Humanity
• Run For Something
• Magali4Novato – Instagram
• Website: https://www.DrCarlaManly.com
• Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/drcarlamanly/
• Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/drcarlamanly/
• Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/drcarlamanly
• LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/carla-marie-manly-8682362b/
• Youtube: https://www.YouTube.com/@dr.carlamariemanly8543
• TikTok: https://www.TikTok.com/@dr_carla_manly 

About Magali Limeta

Magali is a proud first generation Mexican-American from Novato, CA. She was the first in her family to graduate from university, earning a degree in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She’s the Senior Revenue Cycle Analyst for UCSF, an advocate for social change, and an active member of the San Rafael Evening Rotary Club. She has been selected for four fellowships including Front Line Leaders Academy, New American Leaders, Emerge California, and New Leaders Council.