Is it just me, or are we all suddenly a society of passive people? Maybe it’s not society as a whole, but somehow I manage to keep running into people who are disgruntled, yet do nothing about it. Is it because there’s some grand illusion out there that one person can’t make a difference?
That’s bullshit.
Take a history class if you’ve forgotten the many individuals who have made a difference or forced change. Don’t just stop and the warm and fuzzy stories either, think about the societies that were corrupted by one vicious leader. There is a lot of power in being an individual.
What we forget is that when you are an individual, you are often not alone. Even if you have one crazy idea that is out of left field, someone somewhere will support your idea. Then two individuals become a pair, and a pair is stronger. As people follow you, you have groups and soon populations all in support of you. As I said, there is a lot of power in being an individual.
Instead, if something isn’t going the way we like, WE JUST DON’T DO ANYTHING!!! Sorry, I didn’t mean to shout, but this really bothers me.
Even if you are an individual, it does not absolve you of responsibility. If anything, you have a responsibility to play an active role in your life. Showing up just doesn’t count anymore. If you want something to change, do something about it.
A basic principal of this is telling people about how you may feel about something or perhaps if something happened. People aren’t mind readers. Sure, if you’re frustrated about something, people might notice, but they may have no idea why. You can’t expect them to help resolve an issue if you can’t even inform them of the issue.
Your goals for change do not need to be lofty and huge. They can just be for yourself, like finding happiness in a group of friends by calling them yourself instead of waiting for them to call you. But be active.
I just wrote about this in my “stop being a princess” post. I agree. rather than complain, get yourself organised and make changes. Great reminder!
Thanks for telling me about your post. I had a feeling that I may have even written about this topic before, but you know how it is when you’re in a huff. You just write! Plus, I feel like our circle is one that is active, probably surrounded by a bunch of not-so-active individuals…We have to do what we can!
I have an unpublished blog post that has a similar feel to it. After reading your post, I may need to publish it very soon.
I’m now thinking of that quote from the movie Network: “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it any more!”