Improving the world seems like a daunting task. The challenges that our global society is faced with are overwhelming: climate change, poverty, terrorism, international conflict, racism, intolerance of diversity, starvation… these are highly nuanced and pervasive issues. It is easy to throw our hands up in apathy and convince ourselves that there is nothing we can do, that there is no way we can enact the paradigm shift needed to turn the ship around. We become overwhelmed when we focus on changing an entire planet worth of people and organizations, so let’s shift focus onto changing ourselves instead.

By improving ourselves we are quite literally improving the world, even if it is just by one person. The simple act of taking initiative could inspire others to do the same, thus compounding the effect. If we commit to being the best that we can be, others will take notice and will ask why you’ve changed your habits.

The biggest change we can make is by consciously choosing how and what we consume. Each and every one of us is a consumer, we cast votes daily with our currency. What have you been voting for?

It is time to become conscious of the supply chain that brings us goods and services. Ask yourself: is it sustainable? Did the production of that item disenfranchise other members of the community of earth? Is there an alternative product that requires less resources and pollution to create?

Start with one thing that you know you can change. Don’t change too much at once and overwhelm yourself, change one thing at a time. Once you’ve embodied that change move onto the next.

(Need some inspiration? Check out the Racing Extinction documentary, viewable on YouTube)