After all the hate, tragedies, suffering, chaos, and setbacks in our world last year, it’s hard to imagine how this year can be any better.
You may be saddened by all the cruelty you see on the news. All the anger in our political system turns you off from being engaged. Maybe you’re disgusted with how hateful and selfish people can be.
So you tune out.
I get it. Sometimes I go for weeks without reading any news articles because I just can’t take it.
But a lack of information leads to a lack of action.
A lack of information leads to a lack of action. Click To TweetChange isn’t reserved only for governments or armies or corporations; it starts with individuals who decide to act. And action goes beyond angry social media posts. Real action that effects real change requires work.
If we want this year to be better, it’s time to step up. Here are some easy steps to start:
1) Choose a Cause That You Really Care About
There are a LOT of problems in the world. Lamenting over all of them will just sink you into depression. So pick one.
What’s one thing you really care about? What’s a problem that makes you especially angry? What’s something you or someone you know are connected to?
Maybe it’s homelessness, addiction, human trafficking, racism, civil rights, poverty, or disease. It doesn’t mean that other things don’t matter. It just means that this one thing matters a lot to you.
2) Learn as Much As You Can About It
It’s easy to read one sensational story and get worked up about it. But hopefully you know that those stories can be misleading. You can’t help a cause if you’re misinformed about it.
Take the time to learn about the thing you care about. There are tons of articles and Youtube videos that exist.
How did the problem start? Who does it affect? What’s being done about it? Why is it so hard to solve?
3) Find an Organization That Works For That Cause
For any problem that exists, there are multiple nonprofit organizations and charities working to fix it. Find one that you really jive with and seems to be making difference.
Avoid generic “awareness” organizations and look for nonprofits that are doing actual work. If you can find one close to where you live, even better!
4) Promote That Organization
In addition to sharing about the problem, which is what a lot of people do, share about the solution. If this organization is doing good work to solve a bad problem, let others know about them.
Tweet them out. Post one of their stories on Facebook. Write a blog post about them. Record a little selfie video giving them a shoutout.
The world needs to hear less complaining and more about the people who are doing something about it.
The world needs to hear less complaining and more about the people who are doing something about it. Click To Tweet5) Volunteer for That Organization
If the organization is close to you, volunteer with them. Do it once a week or once a month.
If the organization isn’t, then chances are they could still use help online. This could be writing blog posts for them, designing graphics, editing content, helping with social media – all things that can be done wherever you are.
6) Fundraise and Donate for That Organization
The hardest part is putting your money where your mouth is. If you really care about a cause, can you back it up with your wallet?
I know that a lot of us are strapped for cash. But we can afford coffee. We can afford restaurants. We can afford movies and music. And we can definitely afford small donations.
Go beyond that and help the organization fundraise by creating your own personal events. It doesn’t just mean a bake sale (though you can definitely do that!). Whatever it is you like to do, get people to do it together and raise money through it. Run a marathon and ask for donations. Get a local coffee shop to sponsor a music night for donations. Or even ask people to donate instead of give gifts for your birthday party.
7) Make Small Lifestyle Changes
No matter how big the problem is, there are small changes you can make in your life to address it. What those actions are depend on the cause.
It could be changing where you shop, how you go about your tasks, or how you interact with people. But there is always something you can do.
We’ll Help You Create a Better World
We can make the world better this year by transferring all our energy and passions into real action. We want to help you with that.
This year, we will start publishing blog articles that address various problems, big and small. We’ll highlight people and organizations that you can partner with to solve that problem. And we’ll identify tangible and practical ways for you to be part of the solution.
Do you think that what we’re doing here at Intrinsic Styles is important and worth being apart of? Check out how you can join our team.
