Making A Change

By: Sylvia Rani

Dear Sylvia,

The world is getting crazier and I feel helpless to stop it. How do I make a difference?

Sincerely,

Fed Up

Dear Fed Up,

We are certainly living in interesting times, aren’t we? Australia is burning. The ocean is polluted. We have an orange as our president. There seems to be so much injustice, hatred, and pain out there; it can make you feel overwhelmingly small. More painful is that this hatred and injustice is enforced by systems that hold great power over individuals like you and me.

Start by feeling your feelings. What are you most passionate about? What goal or cause can you work for and make a difference? What came to your mind as you read those lines? Devote your efforts to it. You can be passionate about many causes, but you have a limited amount of time on this Earth, and you can’t fix everything. But you can make a significant amount of change in one thing. 

Contact your elected officials. Volunteer with an organization. Use your online platforms to advocate for change. Get vocal and educate your community on the issues that matter to you. You are significant! We often forget that our single voice can have a large impact when we choose to use it.

Lastly, Fed Up, choose to be tender in the face of injustice. In today’s hateful, fearful world, kindness is a radical act. Choose love, empathy, and understanding. 

With love,

Sylvia