For most of us, leading a healthy and fulfilled life is impossible without proper interaction with people and the world around us. As we scroll through the latest news, day-by-day, we start to become socially conscious. We form opinions on important social issues of our time.
We may also want to act on the information we gather from various media and the people we come into contact with. However, with the vast amount of the information we’re presented with and its questionable sources, it’s sometimes difficult to know what is and what isn’t true. Therefore, in this article, I will offer precious advice on how to boost the quality of your life through social awareness.
Here are 5 Ways to Be a More Socially-Conscious Person:
1. Pay More Attention To Your Community
One good place to start observing different social issues is your own community. After all, the people are your neighbours and all their problems are in a sense, your problems as well. Which also gives you an incentive to improve things. Try to stay alert for news and events in your community. Do your best to participate in anything that can make life better for everybody.
Don’t simply stare at your computer screen and comment on other people’s actions, when you can do just as much or even more than them! Perhaps you can volunteer at your local soup kitchen, help clean-up the nearby park, or become engaged in community sports clubs that promote physical activity. Not only can you make a positive difference this way, but this type of activism also keeps you in touch with people and everyday problems they encounter.
2. Act-On A Smaller Scale
Once you start discovering all the social issues this world is dealing with, you might become overwhelmed. It’s also likely you’ll get confused about what you yourself should or shouldn’t do. However, nobody’s expecting you to solve the entire world’s problems single-handedly. But, what you can most definitely do is act now, even if it’s on a lower scale.
This means that you shouldn’t beat yourself up if the masses aren’t reacting to your social media posts about equal rights for everyone. Instead, try to influence those people closest to you by engaging in meaningful and intelligent conversations with them. If you manage to even make a few of those people more socially conscious than they were yesterday, you should consider yourself successful!
3. Find Examples Of Good Practice
From deadly viruses, social injustices, environmental issues, and even wars, the news is often very grave. The news can also make it seem like there’s no real solution to any of these problems, which may cause you concern and stress. Especially when you realize that there isn’t much that you can do on your own. In such cases, it’s important that you do some serious research on your topic of interest and find international examples of good practice.
For example, you should look for articles on the battle against air pollution in China and how their government has been slowly and steadily gaining victory over the last ten years or so. Finding good and efficient ideas from different parts of the planet might help solve problems in your surroundings as well. As long as you get the right people to listen to you and think about how these foreign projects can be implemented locally.
4. Maintain A Positive Attitude
Another thing news can do is affect your mood and overall mental health in an extremely negative manner. Thinking that the world as you know it is coming to an end and of the millions of dangers lurking around every corner can make anybody paranoid. Especially if you believe there is nothing we can do to make the world a better place. It’s crucial that you do your best to remain positive, no matter what you read or hear.
Aside from the above-mentioned global search for good practices, you can also find gratification in small things. Small triumphs can do wonders for your mental well-being, so keep an eye out for them all the time.
5. Rethink What You Are Buying
When it comes to your personal way of becoming socially conscious and active, aim to become a more conscious consumer. Instead of filling the bottomless pockets of huge fast-food or supermarket chains, why not switch to your local farmers’ market and start buying home-grown and bioproducts? Similarly, there are many wonderfully creative people in your proximity who make and sell lovely clothing and accessories. By turning to small and independent businesses for your purchases, you’ll help those businesses grow and make a difference to the owners’ families.
Furthermore, you should also limit the number of things you buy. Do you really need that many shirts and scarves? How much of what you buy ends up in some landfill with you barely using it? Bear in mind that your footprint on this planet can be as big or as small as you make it. So stop wasting your money on unnecessary items and encouraging the mass production that keeps harming our planet. Grab your reusable shopping bag and hit the cute little fruit and veggie stand near you. Leave your money somewhere it will truly matter.
Final Words
Do your best to stay informed and by taking action whenever the opportunity arises. This way you can become more socially conscious and help change the world for the better. There’s not much to it. Just stay alert and positive and act within your abilities to stay happy and satisfied. All whilst helping to create a world you like for yourself and for generations to come.
