Sometimes, the world’s problems can be overwhelming, and when we think about all that needs to be done, it can make us retreat into our bubble of comfort because: “Hey, I’m not the philanthropic type. I won’t set up an NGO or social enterprise. I’m comfortable where I am.”
Now, I’m not here to judge you or convince you to do otherwise. In fact, I say that You Don’t Need To Be A “Go-getter” To Do Great Things…you don’t have to move mountains to create change (in fact, we highly discourage tampering with mother nature).
Case in point, see video below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iIkOi3srLo]
This oversimplifies it a little bit though because there’s much more that we can do than just “following the frog”, but the point is clear, and delivered in a funny yet super relatable way.
There’s a lot of critique about slacktivism or armchair activism, especially when you think about that in comparison to people working in development, environmental law, conservation or human rights. However, even the UN strongly acknowledges the power of each individual to enact change with the #GlobalGoals, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant. Check out their article on The Lazy Person’s Guide To Saving The World, which says:
End extreme poverty. Fight inequality and injustice. Fix climate change. Whoa. The Global Goals are important, world-changing objectives that will require cooperation among governments, international organizations and world leaders. It seems impossible that the average person can make an impact. Should you just give up? No! Change starts with you. Seriously. Every human on earth—even the most indifferent, laziest person among us—is part of the solution. Fortunately, there are some super easy things we can adopt into our routines that, if we all do it, will make a big difference.
By no means is this to say that we should be content with doing the bare minimum. Instead, I urge you to constantly find all these little ways you can tweak your lifestyle to live more mindfully, regardless of which area you opt to tackle first (your diet, transportation, consumption patterns, etc.), because one action, repeated by a hundred, a thousand, a million people adds up to great change.
So, what else can you do today?
Check out tips for mindful living in our blog.
Attend a MUNI event and meet someone you can help. (Next one is on February 4!)
Be a MUNI volunteer and contribute your skills. (We need help for the upcoming MUNI Market!)
Be a MUNI Ambassador and spread mindful living in your community. (We’re shortlisting selected ambassadors until February 28.)
Related reads: You Don’t Need To Be A “Go-getter” To Do Great Things Why Fight A Losing Battle: A Conversation with Gela Petines of Reef Nomads
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jen Horn is a wanderer, writer, and founder of MUNI, a community for mindful living. She encourages people to think critically – to ask questions about how they shop, eat and travel, to explore more socially and environmentally mindful ways of living and working, while remaining kind to one’s self.
She writes about psychology, wellness and the environment, and loves veggies, diving and bike-commuting. Follow her at @nomadmanager.
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