“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” — Harriet Tubman
Do you often stop and wonder how you can change the world? Do you ever ponder how your small and nearly-infinitesimal actions can help to make a difference? Some think that what they do in this world doesn’t matter. They think that their actions are lost in the shuffle, dissipated into the crowd. Well, that’s far from the truth. We can all change the world. Each one of us.
What we fail to realize is that our thoughts, emotions and behavior has a monumental impact, not only on others that are directly influenced by us, but also on the grand scheme of things. We can make a difference when we are truly passionate about something, helping to spark a chain of events that ripples through humanity’s tides.
I know that I’ve often wondered how I can do my part to positively influence and sway mankind. The result? Beyond what I do in my personal life, I’ve built this blog, which is a teeming hub of positivity, something that is impacting the lives of millions of people. And when you do things like that, there’s a shift that occurs internally. You develop a responsibility to act in accordance to the greater good rather than propelled by external greed and other maligned forces.
The truth is that we can all do good things in this world, no matter who we are. You don’t need a wildly-popular blog to do that. All you need to do is change the way you think. Once you change the way you think, you’ll change the way you feel, and as a result, you’ll change the way you act. But it doesn’t work if you think that no matter what you do you can’t change the outcome of your life, the people around you, and subsequently, the world.
How To Change The World?
Okay. Okay. I know that it sounds Utopian in nature. I know that these altruistic pursuits can sound like some science-fiction fantasy. But they’re not. We can change the world. Each one of us. There are specific ways that our actions are affecting the lives of people all across this world. We don’t realize it on the micro-scale; it’s the macro sense of what we do that makes a grand impact.
Ever since I was a little kid, I often wondered what I could do to impact the lives of others. I never knew what it would be. But I always had the internal desire to motivate and inspire. I have no idea where it came from. I often think that I was born with it. But nothing ever really materialized on a grander scale until very recently in my life.
However, whether we’re talking about me, you or anyone else in this world for that matter, anyone can do good things to change the world with a little bit of focused action. There are, in fact 8 very powerful ways that we can all change the world, affecting the outcome of the lives of people near and far.
Here’s how…
#1 — Smile
As minuscule as it might seem, smiling can have a big impact. Not only does it impact you, but also the lives of others that are both immediately around you and that you come into contact with. In fact, studies have suggested that smiling, which is a physiological change in the shape of your mouth, when done genuinely as in a Duchenne Smile, can have an enormous impact on your psychology.
People that often smile are happier and less depressed. In turn, they act differently than people that are always frowning and unhappy. If you think about a smiling person, you also realize that they’re likely positive about life. However, this also affects the people around you. When someone sees you smiling, they feel happier than when they see you angry, sad or depressed. In short, smiling is infectious.
#2 — Be Kind
It doesn’t take much to be kind to others. Yet, kindness seems to be more of the exception to the rule these days rather than the norm. Be kind to others around you. Don’t think the worst of them. Think the best. Even if people have disappointed you in the past, don’t lose hope in the future of humanity. Don’t think that everyone is out for themselves. They’re not. However, if you think a certain way, you will most certainly feel a certain way. So be careful.
Being kind simply means that you do the right things. You say please and thank you, something we teach our kids but seldom do on our own. You open the door for others. You help others that might have difficulty doing things on their own. Simply put, you are just kind and you are there with open arms rather than folded ones. Don’t overlook an opportunity to be kind or helpful to those around you. You have no idea what kind of an impact that could make on the world.
#3 — Be Present
We usually don’t live in the moment. We’re elsewhere, somewhere transported in our own minds. Physically we’re here, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually we’ve evaporated. When was the last time you were actually present? When did you look around with child-eyed wonder at all the miracles taking place? When did you last realize the fragility of life and actually stop to appreciate everything happening inside of you to keep you alive?
The truth is that we aren’t present. But, by being present, you can actually change the world. It will allow you to be more aware of your environment, people and things all around you. You’ll appreciate the heart beating in your chest countless times per minute, pushing the blood throughout your veins, or the lungs that are breathing in the air to keep you alive, or your kidneys, your liver, and everything else that allows you to live life in this world.
#4 — Contribute
Want to make an impact on this world? Want to change it in small ways on your own? Contribute to others. Not just your money. If you don’t have money, that’s okay. Contribute your time. Help others at your local homeless shelter or find ways you can educate the misinformed about certain things. Find ways that you can help. Do it all the time and make it something that’s habitual in your life.
Don’t look for ways you can hoard or collect things. Rather, look at giving things away. A simple coat given to a homeless man or woman in the winter can be the difference between life and death. A hot meal or a pair of pants can change the life of someone beyond measure. You have no idea just how much of an impact and a difference you can make in this world by doing small little things that are often overlooked.
#5 — Recycle
Recycling might not bring about world peace, but it can make a difference in the world. The environment is incredibly important. It’s what allows us to live life in this world. But often, we don’t care much for the environment. We don’t take care of it. However, we need to take care of it. It’s the only environment we have right now, since we are tethered to this Earth until we become a multi-planet species, which will likely happen in the next century.
For now, recycle. You can change the world and all things in and around it by simply saving your plastic, your cans, your cardboard, and actually recycling those things. We have enough waste in this world. Enough things go into large piles that eventually need to be incinerated or buried. Don’t add to it if you can avoid it.
#6 — Be Grateful
Yes, you can change the world and do good things simply by being grateful. It doesn’t take too much to do this. There is so much to be grateful for in life if you just stopped for a moment and thought about it. Think about all the random chances and possibilities that led to giving you life in this world. Of all the chances, you’re here. As much as it might seem like status quo to you, you are a living, breathing miracle.
Don’t forget to be grateful. Gratitude is infectious as well. People realize this all around you. And when you’re grateful, you think, feel and act in a different way. You have a more positive outlook on life and you’re far more hopeful. People take notice of this and it changes them in small but very perceivable ways. Don’t overlook something like being grateful because you think there’s simply no way you can do anything good in this world.
#7 — Don’t Pollute
Want to do something good in the world? Well, there’s something you can avoid. Don’t pollute. Don’t smoke cigarettes, don’t drive a gas guzzler and simply don’t do things that would adversely affect the lives or others or the environment. This isn’t very difficult. It doesn’t take much to avoid polluting. Don’t throw trash out of your windows while driving or spit gum onto the floors and so on and so forth.
This is also about being conscious and aware of your actions. Most people that pollute don’t care much for the environment or how their actions are affecting the lives of others. So the next time you think about polluting, think twice. Don’t do it. Instead, think about how you can creative positive and lasting changes in the environment or even in your own personal space for that matter.
#8 — Think Positive
Positive thinking isn’t just some mantra. It isn’t just repeating the same things over and over again in your mind. Positive thinking, especially when done in collective groups and by the masses, can change the world in ways that we can rarely ever imagine. Think positive and do it often. When you think positive, you naturally gravitate towards positive things in life. When you think negative, you simply expect the worst and the worst often happens.
Positive people can make positive impacts in this world. They can do it in small amounts and they can do it in large amounts as well. You never actually know what’s going to happen when you think positively so don’t be afraid to do it. There’s often a reason for our failures and mistakes and just because things didn’t work out in the past it doesn’t mean that they won’t work out for you in the future.