I have spent many work days and late nights dreaming of how I might leave my mark on the world — maybe ending disease, creating a profound work of art, or starting the next great social movement. Whatever it is, my daydreams are always grandiose and complex. Jeff Shinabarger of Plywood People has different daydreams about changing the world, though, and I want to take a page from his book (literally, check it out here).

In Jeff’s TEDxPeachtree talk in 2013, he described what he sees as a practical way to change the world — give out of your excess.

He turns the idea of generosity on its head, and follows the same spirit as fellow TED veteran Chris Abani:

“The world is never saved in grand messianic gestures but in the simple accumulation of gentle, soft almost invisible acts of compassion.”

So go illuminate the world in your own quiet, profound way today — but first, learn from Jeff about how it can look below:

Molly Heacock is the Community Relations Director at CARE for AIDS, an Atlanta based non-profit that works with men and women affected by HIV/AIDS in Kenya. She lives in Ormewood Park with her husband and dog, and cannot get enough of TEDxPeachtree.