If all of us just did something, or a few things, we'd be a part of a solution, there isn't just one, no one thing and no one person that can dig us out of our rut and cure the ills of our beautiful world, but each one of us can take a tiny bit of responsibility, and in this we can initiate change. This is our job; one of existing, one of perpetual change and of ongoing evolution. If you join me we will become together a Multitude of Ones.
My Example 'Manifesto for One'
This is my own Manifesto with some feedback to myself as to how I'm getting on with it.
I have many action points, but less may be more viable at the outset. It is imperative to be able to Tick off some points as they are integrated into everyday life.
Action prep :
Self development.
Read more about Nurturance, Conscious Evolution.Tick (Read List item 1: Beyond Civilization - Daniel Quin)
Read one article a day from an opposing view point. (kinda)
Learn about something like gardening and sustainable building Tick (ongoing)
Learn a skill Tick (learning to grow food, to blog :) and ongoing parenting skills always needs work)
Sketch everyday. Tick (sketching in words daily if not drawing)
Listen to people. Tick (daily but my empathy skills need improvement)
Read to my youngest child, share articles with my family and friends. Tick
Brain storm about action points Tick (ongoing as I am very critical about our ability to achieve some)
Look after One Tick (The school bike run is nature and exercise and I garden almost daily, I make time for art and music)
Action Points:
My Consumption: (Food, energy, packaging, products and recycling and waste)
Stop buying any palm oil products. Tick (on domestic level, bio-fuels need addressing next)
Limit eating beef. (kinda)
Only eat local organic free range chicken and eggs (partial success)
Only buy local milk from free range cows. (pending)
Avoid packaged products, bottled water (trying very hard!)
Only buy ecological cleaning products (minimal success)
Minimize electric and water consumption (working on it)
Develop my vegetable garden. Tick
Recycle. Tick (as much as this council promotes and I will campaign for more)
Bicycle to school and for local needs. Tick
Money
Stop using banks with unscrupulous affiliations (needs research)
Donate - modest Tick
Create or join any collaborative group or enterprise that supports a good initiative (planning to invest in building ecological houses and already trying to support similar initiatives)
Spend less on useless, wasteful stuff, only buy what you 'need' (trying)
Spend more on quality organic living and shared experiences (working on it)
Specific skill based Action points:
Spread positive energy and truth with this Blog. Tick?
Bring friends of multicultural/experience backgrounds together (real or cyber interaction)
Use my career and skills to good use and on larger area of influence (connecting people, urban problem solving)
Continue to sign campaigns and join activities that promote change. Tick
Sharing:
Share information and knowledge freely on every platform available. Tick
Do volunteer work and collect for refugees. Tick (collection ready)
Continue to look after street animals
Share garden produce with neighbours and encourage them to plant edible gardens
Talk to friends and family about my action points and prompt theirs (waiting to publish this so they can read first)
Activism:
Learn how to use social media etc to prompt action (working on it)
Sign campaigns and join activities that promote change Tick (ongoing)
Get my council to be more effective at recycling, waste collection and disposal, safe roads and bike lanes etc. Get my other local council to stop planting non indigenous, invasive plants. (working on it)
Ambitions for the near future:
Joint plan venture for disadvantaged kids to learn about nature etc, support the local new school in their charity projects (working on it)
Find ways to share my motivation and focus on a positive future with like minded people (working on it)
Design and build ecological, sustainable home and garden (working on it)
Buy hybrid or electric car (when I make a small fortune and the infrastructure is available in my country of residence!)
Become actively involved with anyone who shares the Manifesto for One idea !
Tiny drops in the ocean? .... "It is the drops that make the lake"
(Translated from a Turkish proverb)
I hope you feel inspired to go off and make a mini manifesto for yourself. It really makes you think and wonder about what you can do when you write it all down. Good luck.