Do What Matters - In Your Own Way!

When times get tough,...you know the rest!  You really do become active under given circumstances and sometimes, those circumstances can be stressful and unwelcome!

What is the difference between you and the person next to you? Why do you see things the way you do or perform in a certain way? For most people, it comes down to passion. Using your passion to propel you forward can have favourable and sometimes, not so favourable results. And yes, I have experienced both the highs and lows of some of those actions.

While passion can bring you great rewards and peace of mind, it's often the lack of 'peace of mind' that creates the movement forward and drives you to take on initiatives that will further a cause. A negative circumstance will not, in and of itself, make a maverick out of you.  The difference could be that one 'last straw' that you can't ignore or the feeling that justice is not being served within a given direction.  

So, what do you do when you've suddenly decided that you have to do something - anything, to make things change?   The actions can range from the quiet conservationist who moves forward carefully, cautiously and calculating each step in order to not bring the wrath and resistance of their quarry down on them, to the radical, in your face, combative type, who feel that everyone has a negative agenda. Or, perhaps you fall somewhere in the middle, assessing the situation until you find a niche where your talents can be put to good use and where you won't feel like your 'spinning your wheels'.  

Whether you're forceful or quiet and determined; prefer anonymity or notoriety, your focus, passion and beliefs will be what carry you forward.  You will make mistakes, no matter which direction you take, but, change can only be affected by dedication, determination and deciding that you may just have something to contribute to the cause. 

Many celebrities have found that their status as a celebrity has provided them with an effective platform for advancing causes they feel passionate about.  While some have been quite successful, others have been less so.  Maya Angelou, Danny Glover, Betty White and Doris Day and Bob Barker championed their causes quite successfully.  Others on the international stage have used their struggles of injustice to affect change - Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and even Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter.  But, none of these people could have been the catalyst for change they were without others, supporting and adopting their causes.  

Cultural Anthropologist - Margaret Mead said;  "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has!"

So, take on those things that you feel passionate about - do it in your own way, but do it! 

Do what matters!