Breaking News: An Asteroid Might Hit Earth in 2032
Might, as in there’s a 97% chance it won’t—but let’s be honest, that tiny 3% sliver of doom is just enough to make you pause and think:
"When all is said and done, have I been a kind human?"
Scientists have been tracking asteroid 2024 YR4, and its odds of impact recently ticked up from 1% to 3%. 😱
That’s still way lower than your chances of getting drawn into a “quick” meeting today that somehow lasts an hour, but let’s be real—when the universe casually drops a potential extinction event into the news cycle, it feels like a sign.
I guess what I’m really saying is… Have you been kind today? No? Might be a good time to start.
Step 1: Say Something Nice—Just in Case
It’s Monday morning—some are stress-scrolling through existential doom, others are drowning in their inbox, and a few are just one email away from a meltdown. You can’t fix everything, but you can make today a little better.
So why not start now? Here are a few unsolicited tips to get you going. 👇
💬 Text someone “thinking of you”—without following it up with a request for a favor.
🎟 Tell the cashier, “I appreciate you,” instead of just grabbing your receipt and running.
👂 Ask someone how their day is going—and actually listen to the answer.
☕ Buy someone’s coffee in the drive-thru line (or at least don’t honk at them when they take too long to order).
😂 Send a funny meme to a friend just to make them smile.
👏 Tell a manager when an employee is doing a great job—manager feedback shouldn’t just be for complaints.
🗣 Let someone vent without immediately offering advice. (Sometimes people just need to be heard.)
📱 Write a heartfelt comment on someone’s social media post. (Yes, even if it’s just their dog doing something goofy.)
🎉 Celebrate small wins—yours and other people’s. ("You made it through Monday? That’s elite-level survival skills.")
🤷 Give someone the benefit of the doubt. (Maybe they weren’t ignoring your text, just accidentally napping for four hours. Happens to the best of us.)
Because honestly, if 2024 YR4 was actually headed our way (again, it’s not), do you really want your last words to be:
"Did he seriously just hit the reply all button?" 😡
Step 2: Stop Stressing Over the Small Stuff (But Keep Paying Your Bills, Please)
Look, the asteroid is still a long shot, but if it were real, would some of your daily frustrations really be worth the energy?
It reminds me of an old Zen parable about two monks traveling together.
It goes like this...
Two monks approached a river with a strong current and saw a young woman struggling to cross. She asked for help, but the monks had taken vows not to touch a woman. Without hesitation, the older monk picked her up, carried her across, and gently set her down on the other side.
The younger monk was shocked. He couldn’t believe his companion had broken their vow. Hours passed in silence as he stewed over what had happened.
Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, he blurted out, “As monks, we are not permitted to touch a woman! How could you carry her on your shoulders?”
The older monk simply replied, “Brother, I set her down on the other side of the river. Why are you still carrying her?”
It’s a simple story, but one that speaks volumes. How often do we carry things—grudges, annoyances, small frustrations—long after they’ve stopped being relevant?
How much energy do we waste replaying things in our minds that, in the grand scheme of life, simply don’t matter?"
Yet, we let these small moments hijack our mood, our focus—even our entire day.
🚗 The drive-thru forgot your fries? You’ll survive. (Probably.)
🚦 Someone cut you off in traffic? At least they’re not piloting a giant space rock toward Earth.
📧 Your coworker sent a passive-aggressive per my last email reply? Smile. Pretend you didn’t see it.
📱 The group chat was texting on a Saturday at 7 AM? Mute it. They’ll be fine.
📅 Your meeting could’ve been an email? Maybe it should have been, but hey—you’re not on asteroid duty.
🛒 The self-checkout machine froze on you? Take a deep breath. The robot uprising is not today.
☕ Your coffee order got messed up? At least you have coffee. Some of us are out here barely functioning.
📺 Your streaming service took down your favorite show? Annoying, yes. The end of the world? Not quite.
At the end of the day, most of the things we stress over won’t matter in a year—let alone eight.
🚨Disclaimer: You should still pay your bills. 🚨 I don’t think “asteroid anxiety” will hold up with your bank or credit score.
But everything else? Maybe it’s time to finally set it down. 🤷🤷♂️🤷♀️
Step 3: Do That One Thing You’ve Been Putting Off
Question: If an asteroid was coming (again, it's not), how would you spend your time?
I remember reading a book that posed an interesting dilemma:
If you had to relive your worst day over and over for eternity, what would you do?
At first, the idea sounds like a nightmare—who would want to be stuck in their worst moment?
But if you really think about it, eventually, you’d have no choice but to adapt. You’d start looking for ways to make the best of it.
You’d take risks because what’s there to lose?
You’d cherish the little moments of joy, no matter how small.
You’d tell people how much they mean to you, knowing that connection is what makes life meaningful.
And in time, despite the doom and gloom, you’d figure out how to live—not just for yourself, but in a way that makes life better for the people around you.
So why wait?
✅ Finally publish that book. (Even if it’s just 200 pages of passive-aggressive work emails.)
✅ Take that dream vacation. (Or at least switching up your grocery store for variety?)
✅ Text back that one friend. (The one you left on ‘read’ six months ago? Yeah, them.)
The truth is, we always think we have more time—until suddenly, we don’t. But you don’t need an asteroid-sized excuse to start living the way you want to live. The best time to start was yesterday.
The next best time? Right now.
Step 4: Be Kind for the Right Reasons (Not Just Because of an Asteroid)
The good news is that NASA believes the odds of impact will probably drop to 0% by April 2025. But while we wait, why not commit to being a little kinder, laughing a little more, and maybe—just maybe—getting our kind lives together before 2032?
And if that feels overwhelming, start small.
✅ Hold the door for someone (even if they awkwardly jog to catch up).
✅ Let someone merge in traffic (yes, even if they’re using the wrong blinker).
✅ Tip your barista like they’re the last coffee maker on Earth.
✅ Send a quick text to check in on a friend.
✅ Compliment a coworker (genuinely, not just for good karma).
✅ Leave an encouraging note for someone to find.
✅ Pick up trash at the park or on your street.
✅ Say thank you—and mean it.
✅ Give up your seat on public transport.
✅ Share your umbrella on a rainy day.
✅ Buy an extra snack and offer it to someone who looks like they need it.
✅ Let someone go ahead of you in line, just because.
✅ Leave a positive review for a small business.
✅ Hold back from honking in traffic when you’re impatient.
✅ Smile at a stranger (yes, it still works).
✅ Donate items you don’t use instead of letting them collect dust.
✅ Offer words of encouragement to someone who seems stressed.
✅ Return the shopping cart that someone left stranded.
✅ Bring a coffee or treat to a coworker just because.
✅ Forgive that one thing you’ve been holding onto for too long.
✅ Talk to a stranger and listen to their stories.
✅ Write a handwritten letter to someone instead of just texting.
✅ Check in on an elderly neighbor and ask if they need anything.
✅ Tell a service worker you appreciate them.
✅ Hold back on negativity—complain less, encourage more.
✅ Venmo a friend five bucks for coffee, just because.
✅ Support a local fundraiser (even if it’s just sharing the link).
✅ Help someone carry heavy bags without being asked.
✅ Let someone else pick the playlist in the car.
✅ Send an unexpected gift to brighten someone’s day.
✅ Encourage someone’s dream instead of pointing out why it won’t work.
✅ Be a little extra patient—with others and with yourself.
Because whether or not 2024 YR4 hits Earth, the kindness you show today will outlast any news cycle about a space rock.
(Hopefully) 😉
Disclaimer
The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not represent any other individual, organization, or company. This content is intended for general knowledge and to highlight tools, techniques, and ideas that inspire positive change. Readers are encouraged to explore the topics further and form their own conclusions.
I found this blog on the day I needed it the most! thank you