Are you feeling the call to make a difference in the world? To Play BIG…
If you’re like most of us, “changing the world” can feel daunting, to say the least. First of all, we have to combat the voice of our inner critic who might say, “Who me? Who do I think I am?” Then, if we can get beyond our own inner sabotage, there’s the overwhelm factor.
There are so many organizations, non-profits, charities, and NGOs doing great things. How do we know where to put our energy and time? If funds are tight, how can we give from our passion, skills and creativity?
Here are some ideas to get you started thinking about where you’d like to be of service, whether that’s in your local community or abroad.
- Ask yourself what upsets you about the world. What breaks your heart that you want to see stopped in your lifetime? Use the fuel behind your heartbreak to do something and take a stand. What if YOU are the leader you’ve been waiting for?
- Notice who’s taking a stand and contact them directly. When you find articles, news and websites about things you’re interested in, take note of the author or organization leader. Go ahead and reach out to them directly and ask how you can help. Make a personal contact and begin to establish yourself as a leader with something to contribute to their cause.
- Talk about it. Start asking people you know if they’ve heard of anyone, any organization, or any project that’s making headway in what you care about. You may be amazed at what already exists that you can simply plug-in to.
- Search online. Just type your interest into Google.com or YouTube.com and see what comes up. There are brilliant video documentaries on YouTube on a variety of subjects. Get motivated by watching and learning from people who are already doing amazing things.
- Do what you love to do. If your passion is writing, write an article about your cause, or tell a story and raise money through crowd funding. If your passion is dancing, organize a performance or dance flash mob for peace, freedom or women’s rights. If your passion is art or music, draw or sing for the cause of your choice. If your passion is teaching, share what you love by teaching others. The world needs your passion.
- Follow the signs. Life often gives us clues, inkling, and yearnings that make our heart skip a beat. It might be a niggling thought or feeling that you don’t talk about to others. It may have been there a long time for you, and you just haven’t done anything about it. When you take one step forward, synchronicity begins to show up. Do not over analyze them, but definitely notice them as signs that you are on the path. When you begin to follow your path, you never know what wonders lay behind the next door.
- Begin learning what you don’t know. There are many websites, books and films about the state of our world today. Learn and be inspired by what others have to share.
- Join a community. You are not alone. There are other people who also want to make a difference and we’re all helping each other to do that in big and small ways. Find at least one friend who you can share with who completely supports what you’re doing. Search meetup.com or LinkedIn.com for people with common interests. When we’re part of a community it’s so much easier to take the risk to follow our heart.
- Start a group of your own. Start from where you are. See who in your community, your job, your school, your town would want to join you in making a difference for what you are passionate about. Perhaps start a group or organize your company co-workers to create a volunteer project.
- Identify 5 people whose work you admire. Ask these people to be interviewed by you about how they got started and any advice they might have for you. You’ll be pleasantly surprised about how the people you admire need exactly what you do. They need an ear to be heard. You’re giving them a gift by listening to their story, and you’ll learn a lot in the process.
- Serve where you are. Ask around within the local community that you are visiting to see who could use your assistance. Find one child, one woman, or one family. Spend time listening to their story. From that see how you might serve and do one small gesture to let them know you care.
The main thing is to take one small action and take it quickly. The fire that burns inside of us to create positive change will extinguish if not acted upon. We can always find reasons not to act, but don’t let these stop you. You matter, your passion matters, and you can make a difference from right where you are.