DON’T
Share misinformation. Half-truths only incite more anger, hatred and fear. After the 2017 inauguration, that same client shared a post from a liberal political commentator. She was horrified that Trump had taken down everything that Obama had accomplished from the White House website. The reality: every single President gets their own brand-new website. And Obama’s website was still live, just in the archives.
Sit back and hope someone else will fix the problems.
Fall back into your cushy life if a Democrat is elected (because the problems will still exist, even if he reverses laws set in motion these last 4 years).
Jump on a bandwagon without first doing your due diligence.
Try to teach things you’re not fully educated on – it’s your responsibility to listen, learn and take appropriate action.
DO…
…your research before you share information – use Snopes or another fact-finding service. Also, point out (politely) misinformation – being shared from either side of the aisle.
Be proactive. Continue to educate yourself – read books, listen to podcasts, watch documentaries or even movies with a social theme, take classes, learn about different cultures, learn the why’s behind the what’s.
Remember that not everyone will agree with you. Listen to the other side. Not necessarily to agree but just to become aware.
Challenge yourself to have an open mind. It’s okay to think you know something and then change your mind after learning new information. That is how we grow and become better citizens of the world.
Connect with people who are on the same path and working towards the same goals.
Make mindful choices.
You may want to jump into the deep end and save the whales, eliminate water and food scarcity, solve climate change and wipe out white supremacy and every other “ism” that exists...
But doing too much will likely leave you feeling tired and rundown.
Do what you can. Take small steps. Understand and recognize that you can’t do it all. But you can do something.
So do something.
Every day.