It’s Time for You To Make the World a Better Place

You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try. — Dolly Parton

It’s time for everyone to make the world a better place. But I’ve heard many people say, “I could never be an activist.”

We are all activists. If you look back at your life, you can name times when you have used your knowledge, skills, or influence to make a difference.

Have you ever marched into the principal’s office to advocate for a change at your child’s school? What about asking a friend to avoid using a word with racial connotations? Everyone starts somewhere and some time to make a change.

It’s time to make the world a better place. Get off the sidelines, despite the apprehensions you may have. As Dolly says, you’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.

I’m An Activist, and I Didn’t Even Know it

Perhaps you are already an activist and didn’t realize it.

In one of my efforts to make the world a better place, I braved a downpour to go to the Knoxville Women’s March. The organizers set up booths for various nonprofits and activism groups. As I browsed the tables, I met an older lady. When she heard I wrote a book about getting started in activism, she exclaimed, yes, you guessed it, “I could never be an activist!”

Of course, I reassured her that she could, then moved on. But a few minutes later, her daughter caught up with me and, shaking her head, said, “My mother has been an activist all her life.” She went on to mention her decades-long work with vulnerable children in the foster care system. Her mother helped change the regulations for foster care monitoring in her community.

“Mom doesn’t realize the impact she has made,” she said sadly.

I mention this story because some people don’t realize that they can get off the sidelines and make the world a better place. This lady didn’t even know she already had!

What Makes People Believe They Could Never be an Activist?

There is an activist stereotype. This stereotypical activist is skilled in organizing and devotes her entire life to her cause. She puts herself into difficult and potentially dangerous situations and will never be satisfied until she succeeds. Picture her yelling with her fist in the air.

Of course, there are people like this, but this is not typical of activists. And as a role model, she can be off-putting.

I understand why people who believe the stereotype stay on the sidelines. That type of activism is not for them.

And people believe activism is not for them for other reasons. It’s time to bust the stereotype and address obstacles. Let’s explore them.

I don’t have activism skills.

Professional activists have activism skills, like strategic planning, leadership, and coalition building.

But you can make change with the skills you already have. You do not need an activism degree.

Can you cook? Make meals for activists. That’s contributing to movement support.

Do you have friends? Talk to your friends about what you’d like to see change in your community. That’s advocacy.

Everyone has ordinary superpowers. These are skills that are easy and natural for you. Use them for activism. It’s time.

I’m not particularly eager to march.

Me, neither, although I occasionally do. But there are many other ways you can make a difference. Spoiler alert: other methods are probably more effective than marching, anyway.

I’m afraid I’ll get hurt.

This statement is a variation on the ‘I don’t want to march’ concern. Some activism methods are more dangerous than others. It is okay to pick one that isn’t dangerous. Crafting can be activism, for example. It’s time to pick one and move forward.

Read I Want To Be an Activist, But I’m Afraid.

I’m not physically or mentally able.

As a person with a physical or mental disability, you may not be able to perform some activism tasks. This concern is valid, as psychological and physical health should be a priority. But rest assured, there are many ways to make change. Find the one that works for you.

Read about the many ways people with disabilities are making a difference.

It’s time to pick an activism method that works for you.

I don’t have time to make the world a better place.

If you are overwhelmed with life obligations, you may believe there is no time to make the world a better place. Sit down and examine how many roles you are trying to play. More than five is too many.

Also, your time, resources, and support influence how much change-making can be a part of your life.

Get a load of this, though. Slacktivism, the combination of activism and slacking, can work.

And doing good, even in small doses, will make you feel better. And perhaps perform your other life roles with more joy.

It’s time, even if you don’t have time.

My family would hate me.

In one of my Liberal Patriot posts, I wrote about a lady who saw my Liberal Patriot T-Shirt and told me how brave I was to wear it in public. Also, that she could never do something like that because her family would hate her.

As a blue dot in the Bible Belt, I understand her concern. But do not let fear hold you back from making the world a better place.

If you choose to support your cause, your relationships with family may change. But they don’t have to be confrontational. And living your values will change your life for the better.

I don’t have a cause (or I care about too many causes.)

Not knowing where to start is a reason people don’t get off the sidelines. But if you don’t have a cause, a little soul-searching will uncover the issues you care about the most. It’s time.

Asking yourself these questions may clarify where you might find the cause closest to your heart.

• What breaks your heart?
• On the other hand, what makes you angry?
• Finally, what do you love and want to protect?

On the other hand, having too many issues you want to solve can be paralyzing. Where do you start?

I was in the ‘too many causes’ category. I tried doing a little bit for each cause, but rather than making me feel useful, I felt scattered and tired. Once I focused on the cause closest to my heart, I felt motivated and finally started to make the world a better place.

It’s Time To Make The World A Better Place

Even if you believe you can’t make much change, every bit of work in a movement makes a difference. Because one person can’t solve societal issues. To make the world a better place, it takes each of us doing our part. You may feel that your piece won’t make much of a difference but imagine what the world would be like if we all used our talents for the causes we love.

I feel like so many people are afraid of becoming activists because of the gatekeeping that happens sometimes in activism like, ‘Oh, you’re not this enough, you’re not that enough, or you’re not woke enough, or you don’t know enough about these graphs or the system, or you’re not vegan…Everyone is needed, and everyone has their role to play.” — Mitzi Jonelle Tan, climate activist

People resist change, and it takes much effort over time to break down those barriers. For example, people met the idea of women owning property with resistance. Still, with multiple changemakers’ actions over time, women can vote and participate fully in the workplace.

It’s Time To Get Started

It is time for you to help make the world a better place.

Learn about Getting Started in Activism.

• Focus your passion and find the cause closest to your heart among the myriad of causes.
• Match your skills with the type of activism work that best suits you.
• Find an activism opportunity that works for your life.
• Determine if your social justice work truly makes an impact.
• Stay motivated in your activism for the long term.

Now that I’ve said that, though, I want to reassure you that doing good for others has rewards for you.

Those rewards include:

• Translating your values into positive change. If you care about girls being treated equally, then you can make a difference for someone you love.
• Getting satisfaction from the activism work itself. By choosing an activism method that matches your skills, you’ll enjoy the work.
• Working with others. Strong social networks improve health, reduce stress, and build self-esteem.
• Feeling capable and learning. Achieving goals and learning new things increases your self-esteem and motivation.

There is so much work to be done to make the world a better place. Please do your part.

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This post appeared originally at Life At The Intersection.