so, everything is pretty terrible, huh? it certainly feels that way sometimes.

the political landscape at the global, national, and state levels is a reality TV show in its shitty 10th+ season. climate change and late stage capitalism seem to imply that the damage we’ve done may be irreversible. the enshittification of the internet deep underway, and finding anything useful that isn’t buried in advertisements is near impossible. social media has us convinced we are “staying in touch with people” while we drift further and further from organic and meaningful human interactions.

so what does the average human do about any of this? it feels impossible to make any substantial progress on improving our world when we are constantly barraged with the zoomed out and doomed out view of failing society. it’s enough to make a person curl up into a ball and wait patiently for Netflix euthanasia to numb us into nothingness.

but we are not helpless. not by a long shot. we are just staring at the wrong end of many of these problems. yes, it would be amazing to hold our political leaders directly responsible for their ethical and moral compromises, or to bomb the internet back to the good old days of “the late 20th century”. unfortunately the people that hold enough power to make these good choices for us are humans as well, and have chosen instead to wield their authority like cartoon villains. i think it’s safe to say that the billionaires and ruling class are not coming to save us.

here is where you (and me, and that them over there) come into the picture. we have to shift our focus from the macro, which is generally very out of our control, to the local, micro, and personal. we have a tremendous power to affect change, as long as we are choosing to change the things in our domain. and it all starts at the most personal domain there is. inside us.

i have an idea that i feel can reshape our world. it’s surprisingly simple. it only takes enough people to get onboard in enough places to allow a positive momentum to drive all of those bigger changes in the world.

1. start inside you. how is your mental health? are you feeling scattered and disorganized? maybe tired all the time?

a. talk with someone. a therapist, a psychiatrist, even a trusted friend is better than nothing. if you are feeling bad, you have some power to feel better. the way you are feeling now does not have to be the way you always feel.

b. start organizing your life a bit. it can start small. think about some of the things you have to do regularly, and pout them on your calendar. been meaning to learn that instrument, or read that book? make time for it on your calendar. set it up to repeat on a cadence that makes sense for you, and don’t beat yourself up if you have to miss it occasionally, but pay attention to the calendar, and you are likely to find that it happens for frequently than it was before.

c. take care of your body. you need to get rest. you need to hydrate. you need some exercise. again, put this on your calendar. start small, but make this a regular practice. if you can get 20 minutes of solid exercise 5 days a week, your body will start to respond and this can become a practice and then a routine.

d. make good choices for yourself. did you think recently that maybe you’re drinking to much? does your diet make you feel guilty? are you behaving in a way that causes you shame? now is the time to addresses those things. you know what’s up. listen to yourself.

2. next up is other people. what needs are there in your local community? are you passionate about something that could create positive outcomes for your neighbors and friends? are you devoting enough time to maintaining your important relationships? find a way to provide some form of service to your community. volunteer at a shelter. monthly park cleanup. read to some kids at the local library. pick a thing that makes sense for you and start doing it. again, start small and don’t beat yourself up if you can’t do as much as you want initially. i think you’ll find that the value you get spiritually and emotionally, out of helping others, is enough to help you drive this into a regular behavior.

3. be good to other people. it doesn’t take much to walk into most interactions with an open mind and a kind heart. think about how anxious or stressed or frazzled or deeply sad you have felt. that couple be how the person you are about to interact with is feeling right now. i cannot overstate how transforming it can be for someone to simply be recognized and cared for in a simple daily interaction. again, this shit feels so good. you don’t have to feel guilty about doing this because it makes you feel amazing. the end result is the key here.

that’s it. that’s the core of the whole thing. if you take care of yourself, and you take care of others, and you treat people with kindness and respect (whether or not they seem to appreciate or deserve it) you will create a  new, better environment around you. and it is contagious. those people you interact with will feel better, and people that feel better, do better.

i kindly implore you, fellow humans; let’s go into the world and do better.