How to Make a Positive Contribution to the World

Chai36

Editor

posted on 15 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Positivity in the world is built through the ripple effects of thousands of individual decisions. Making an impact can be a grand gesture, and it can also start with small steps to spread fairness and joy. If you strive to 'be the change you wish you see in the world' but don't know where to start, read on.

Steps

Find your focus.

While there are many serious issues equally worthy of your attention and support, you'll have the greatest impact if you focus on the challenges that you are passionate about. You may think that having your own interests and passions is somehow selfish, but if you are truly passionate about something, it lights you up, fills you with life and energy, and helps you make a greater impact.

Consider where you may have the greatest impact.

Some causes can be supported simply by choosing a certain product over another while shopping (e.g. Fair Trade). For other causes, without having qualifications or expertise, they can only really be supported by donating money (e.g. charities for diseases). Consider your natural abilities, skills and strengths and how you can use these to make a positive contribution in your own unique way. Don't despair of the skills you don't possess, but work with what you have. Remember, not even people like Gandhi or Mandela were perfect in every way. They just had strong belief and determination in their own personal power to change things.

Educate and inform yourself.

This might sound like hard work, but if you're serious about implementing positive change, it's important to be as knowledgeable as possible on it, otherwise people won't take you seriously. Plus if it's something you're truly passionate about, then you will most likely find the motivation to do this. Ignorance is not your friend!

Inform others about your knowledge and causes.

Yet, understand that not everyone shares the same priorities as you, though they might still support your cause of choice. If everyone's main priority was the environment, and they all devoted their energy to it, there would be serious imbalance in other areas, which could lead to disaster! Don't berate people if they don't agree, just try to spread awareness. A lot of positive change has occurred when enough people have become aware and educated about world issues.