How to change the world when there’s so much to do?

When the Twin Towers fell in 2001, my rumbling anxiety erupted into full-blown panic attacks, leaving me unable to travel to my job in London or even leave my house. My world began to shrink, and in a coping mechanism to preserve my sanity, I decided to stop watching the news.

Why immerse myself in a constant stream of depressing information when there seemed to be nothing I could do to change any of it?

Instead, I sought refuge in creating a nice life for myself, numbing out the overwhelming suffering of the world. But this summer, while watching "The Handmaid’s Tale," I had a stop-me-in-my-tracks realization: this is what happens when we don't pay attention.

Awake, ready to re-engage, I found myself grappling with that same question - where to start?

At the heart of this universal feeling of being overwhelmed by global issues is the belief that our small actions can't create meaningful change. The current wars and crises in the headlines often seem too monumental for any one person to affect. This sense of helplessness and hopelessness can leave us feeling paralysed, we say "that's just the way it is."

As I sat with my desire to pay more attention, I realised that life often guides us toward what is ours to focus on by bringing certain issues repeatedly into our consciousness.

In 2020 flowers found me. Out of the blue, I found myself obsessed with learning how to grow my own. COVID arrived into my life and the isolation of people in my village was in my face. Donating flowers became my part to play. And The Floral Project was born.

And then, hunger. Since 2013, when I first encountered Lynne Twist's book "The Soul of Money," I have found The Hunger Project showing up again and again over the years. While I noticed issues like climate change, Alzheimers, bereavement and neurodiversity within my sphere, The Hunger Project simply would not leave me alone, so now, as I enter my Third Chapter, I am stepping fully into supporting this organisation any way I can.

(Please note: not watching the news did not prevent life bringing me all sorts of interesting challenges to pay attention to!)

Through noticing what life was already bringing me, I realised we each have our individual roles to play.

This insight showed me that recognising the issues life persistently places in our path allows us to recognise our calling. Instead of feeling like I need to solve every problem, I realised I could cross off 99% of the world's issues from my mental to-do list, leaving room to focus my energy on what truly resonated with my experiences.

This brings both simplicity and clarity, enabling me to contribute in a meaningful and sustainable way.

So if you’re feeling a pull to create change in the world, but have no idea where to start (and therefore find yourself doing nothing at all), take out your journal and reflect. 

Ask yourself: 

What issues keep appearing in your life, either directly or through those around you? 

Life might bring you personal experiences of neurodiversity in you or your family, but maybe not homelessness. Someone you love experiences domestic violence but lack of water isn't something you consider.

What brings you a sense of passion or curiosity? 

Is there a charity, topic or cause that keeps showing up in your environment that you find fascinating?

Write these down. 

Next, list all the world's other issues you can think of and draw a line through each and every one of them. Not your job.

Rest assured, they are someone else's calling. Someone else has just written "Saving the Amazon rainforest" where you wrote down "Creating more connection in my local village."

Life is intelligent that way.

By honing in on what consistently appears in your life, you can channel your energy where it counts.

Know that placing your efforts where you are called will always make a difference. 

Ready to stop feeling alone in your mission to change the world? I created One Thousand Women specifically for women like you - women who have big hearts and important work to do, but who are tired of trying to figure it all out in isolation.

Join us, and let's turn your solo dream into our collective reality.

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