With the advent of the Internet, social media and smart phones, news (and particularly bad news it seems) goes viral quickly. Now, more than ever before, the world is aware that "we have a problem", globally.
Several parts of the world are under siege from Islamic terrorists. Ebola and other deadly diseases are killing thousands and even more sadly, many more die from disease that should have been eradicated by now. We have needless shootings and natural disasters and xenophobic attacks; it seems as though the world is going to pieces in a hand basket. Ask anyone and they can tell you who is responsible for all this chaos. It is the government of course, or world powers; it is everyone else but you and I.
And that people, is the crux of the problem.
Yes - you could decide to go out to make a change in your society. But the fastest way to change things is to begin by changing yourself. The changing of the person at the helm of government is not by any means, a change in government. We often still face the same issues.
So what then do we change?
We change the way we think. We change the way we see the world. And we change the way we engage with the world.
Changing the way we think
As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Whatever you are now is a reflection of what is going on inside your mind. People who are corrupt have a mind-set which lets them cut corners. You need to be deliberate about what you think about in your mind. Before you can develop character and integrity, you first of all have to decide in your mind that you will be that sort of person. We cannot have a society that is progressive and corruption-free if you do not ensure that you will be that way yourself. You want to see more innovation around you? Why don’t you begin to learn about innovation and then and apply that thinking to the things you do? Change starts from within. Change starts with you. Yes, you can make a difference.
Changing the way we see the world
The blame game does not change anything. As a matter of fact, it hides the problem while people stone the symptoms. Looking at how bleak things seem at the moment, it is easy to focus only on the negative and highlight that. But with all the negative things that are happening, there are even more positive happenings around. Put on your rose-tinted glasses and look for the good around you. It is as Mahatma Gandhi said, “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” Trust that there are good people out there and do not be so quick to judge, condemn or throw stones.
Changing the way we engage with the world
When you have started working on yourself and your thinking, the next step is to take action. The general trend is to shake our heads when we see disaster and wonder why someone isn’t doing anything. But the truth is that YOU are that someone and embracing this truth will help you change the way you engage with the world around you. You are not required to solve all the problems of the world, but there is something you can do, no matter how little. Find something little and do it. Plant a tree. Sow a word of encouragement. Recycle whatever you can. Volunteer. Donate. Find and connect with people of a similar passion.
Change starts with you. Start the ball rolling and you will be amazed at your impact after a few months and years. Be the change you want to see.