How to Make a Difference In a Divisive World
If there's one thing I've struggled with most throughout my adult life, it's trust. Not necessarily in myself or others I know and love (although that is, of course, a component), but in LITERALLY everything and everyone else.
Maybe it was the official unveiling of Wall Street's greedy motives back in 2008 that set it off. Or maybe it was the dawn of the widely accepted internet misinformation era—free speech, which I obviously support, certainly comes with a trade-off: it can be void of fact-checkers or that thing I think we used to call "journalistic integrity." Maybe it was the "to vaccinate or not to vaccinate" debate-turned-debacle. Maybe it's the increasing decline of our public health and education sector, where doctors look more like pharmaceutical drug pushers than do-gooders, and teachers look more like standardized test pushers than, well, teachers. Or maybe my mistrust in people dates back to childhood, when I witnessed a classmate's hit-and-run aftermath—his brain permanently damaged and his parents forever without answers.
And now! Public mistrust is seemingly at an all time high. Black lives do matter, after all. How is it that we're still trying to prove that to people?! There's a LOT of terrible, horrible stuff going on in the world. There always has been and there probably always will be—and in light of recent events (the Dakota pipeline protests, unnecessary shootings, and a certain racist political candidate who is, for some reason, still getting air time...) I've found myself feeling more helpless than ever. How can I help those who need it without accidentally lining the pockets of those who don't? How can I speak out without getting lost in a sea of voices that only really exist within our mobile devices and behind our computer screens? How can I demand transparency from a government that feeds on secrecy?
HERE COMES THE POSITIVE PART.
I believe in the power of a grass roots effort. I believe that all GREAT change starts with a MILLION TINY CHANGES. I believe that you manifest what you build within yourself and in how you treat other people. If you fear the oppressors, you become oppressed. I can't offer a fix-all for everything that's broken, but I can offer a few tools that I'm starting to consciously implement in my life to ensure I am not FEEDING the problem. I only want to feed the solution.
1. GET TO KNOW YOURSELF
Of course this would be my number one—but it's obviously critical because you need to know what you stand for and why. There are so many causes to fight for right now, it can be overwhelming. What are the ones that are closest to you? Where are your priorities? And why? Also, you want to be dealing with people who are strong, confident, and know themselves well, right? Not insecure politician types? Then be the kind of person you'd want to support.
2. DEMAND TRANSPARENCY FROM EVERYONE WITH WHOM YOU INTERACT
This is where the grass roots element really comes into play. It's harder to get transparency on a grand scale when we aren't asking for transparency from the bottom up. Before you buy a product, research the company. Before you donate to a charity, look into how much money the cause REALLY gets from your donation. Before you take a new job, ask about the company's policy on transparency. Yeah, it's a little extra work. But it's worth it—it's a small price to pay to make it known that these things are important to you in your day-to-day. Get the world a little more acquainted with this concept on a grass roots level. Eventually it will rise to the top.
3. OFFER TRANSPARENCY TO EVERYONE WITH WHOM YOU INTERACT
If you feed on secrets, why should you expect anyone else to do anything different? Be honest, be real, and be vulnerable with the people you know and care about. Live by example, right? If you manage people at work, be transparent with them about your expectations, your road-blocks, and your wins. Empower them to be transparent, too. Circle back to point #1 if you're struggling with this one. Or sign up for my happiness bootcamp to explore what's really going on inside your head.
4. CONTINUE TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS—TO THE PEOPLE IN "POWER"
Believe in your voice. Be proactive with your voice should you choose to use it. That means voting, writing to your representatives, writing to the people in charge of the corporations and entities with whom you disagree. Write effectively. Be clear, concise, and appropriately passionate. Social media is a great platform, but it doesn't direct your voice anywhere productive. And often times, when you see your voice echoed by a thousand other voices on a social stream, you begin to assume that everyone is proactively voicing their concerns. They're not. They're shouting into a void. They're preaching to a choir (and a bunch of trolls).
5. ENGAGE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
You can do a lot on your own. You can do more with a team. Look up volunteer opportunities in your area. Research what's out there. Sites like volunteermatch.org make it so easy. Google's not so bad either. The best way to feel positive momentum is to engage with a group of advocates for your cause. If you have even just one weekend a year to offer, it will undoubtedly be worth your time.
I get that this is in some ways idealist rhetoric. I can't help that I'm an idealist. But I do truly believe in the power of behaving in a way that you want to be treated—and that screaming at a large crowd to "change" won't change anything. You have to go up to each person individually and offer your pitch. Slowly your voice spreads. Eventually the crowd's demeanor can shift.
Patience. Diligence. Perseverance. Good luck out there. ✨