This year, I’d like to eradicate apathy.
Sound like a kid’s idealistic first sentence in a letter to the editor of the local newspaper?
Making people aware of what goes on in the world that affects their everyday lives is not easy. Our lives and our future depend on it, but most people give little day-to-day thought to what’s influencing their lifestyles. How do you show someone that it’s important to pay attention?
Think about how much you rely on little electronic toys and how distracting they are, how easily they make the time go by without turning your attention to bigger things. It’s easier to send another text or make another call on the cell phone than spend time learning about what’s going on in our world and how it affects us now and for years to come.
If we use those toys to spur people into action, we could make something happen.
Some of the issues going into this U.S. election year include health care reform, greed, and whether the current government structure can work for the people.
Take some time before you whip out the cell phone, and think about things that are going to affect you or your family this year, and over the next five years. Health care and financial well-being are two good places to start.
Then, instead of letting it go, make a plan. What do you need to know? Where can you get the information? What will YOU do this year to ensure that things change for the better? Make a plan to carry it out, and follow through. The ONS Advocacy 101 and Advocacy 201 free online courses are a good place to sharpen your skills for action. Two simple steps you can plan right now are to be an informed citizen and to vote in November.
Alene Nitzky, PhD, RN, works in an outpatient oncology clinic. She has an interest in survivorship and wellness. An ultramarathon runner, writer, and pastel artist, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their two Australian Shepherds and sees every day as an adventure. Her blog, Journey to Badwater, is about running and life. She lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.