There is a lot of hardship in this world. I see it everyday, as do you. War, poverty, pollution–it’s overwhelming. It’s easy to throw your hands up and say, “The problems too big. I can’t do anything to help.” That’s what many people do, but is it true? Is there really nothing that you can do?

I think that each of us has the power to change the world. Not all at once, but a little at a time. What you can do may be something to help someone else or a simple change in your own lifestyle.

Here are some simple things you can do to make a change happen.

Vote

There’s a presidential election coming up. One great way to make your voice heard is to vote. A lot of people go out to vote at this time, but they only vote for the president and not for local officials. Yes, voting for the president is important, but your local officials are the ones that greatly affect your community. Educate yourself about local candidates and vote in local and national elections.

Random Acts of Kindness

If someone’s trying to merge into a long line of traffic, let them in. If you’re in line in the grocery store with a full cart of groceries and someone gets in line behind you with one item, let them go in front of you. Simple things like this can help brighten someone’s day.

Not too long ago, I was at the grocery store with my husband. We’d split up to pick up a few last minute things and meet at the front of the store by the cash registers. On the way to  the front of the store, I kept noticing more and more things we needed that I’d forgotten to put on my list. Soon I had an armload of things and was dropping them all over the place. Then a little girl came up to me with a shopping basket, “I noticed you having trouble so I got you this,” she said. That was a small thing, but it really brightened my day. Notice what’s going on around you and how you can help.

My cousin is a single woman who always seems to have more leftover food than she could eat. So she started giving her leftovers to the homeless. That’s not even something that I would’ve thought about doing until I saw her do it. ” I can keep it in my frig until it goes bad, or I can give it away,” she told me. “Giving it away seems like a much better option.”

Doing something kind and unexpected for a family member, friend or stranger helps brighten another’s day and brings joy into your own day.

Join an Organization

There are many humanitarian organizations that promote peace and try to educate the public about local and international problems. Joining an organization isn’t hard. Some organizations exist online just to help get the word out about a problem. You can sign online petitions and email your congress person or senator about issues that are important to you.

Pick Up Some Trash

Do you complain about litter when you see it in your neighborhood. Instead of complaining, pick it up. It’s not hard to do and it’ll help beautify your community.

There are plenty of other things you can do for the environment. I’ve listed some here.

These are just a few simple ideas that you can do to help change the world. You can find more ideas in the book Change the World for Ten Bucks: 50 Ways to Make a Difference.

Do you have any more ideas about what you can do to change the world? If so leave them in the comments.

Photo by Woodleywonderworks.

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