Make the connection between concern for the environment and our society and how they relate to one another. Change the way your brain is being programmed to be more understanding of the environment and surroundings, from your friends and neighbors to nearby ecosystems. Understand that we need to change our mindset, disrupting our normal brain waves, to get ourselves to think more considerately of those around us and the planet as a whole.

People desire consistency, but consistency leads to complacency. Sometimes without even realizing it, we grow accustomed to living in ways that make us feel comfortable. Once we’ve said or done something, we feel committed to it, and are compelled to keep going down that route no matter the cost. This principle encompasses most areas of our lives; it’s why we keep arguing even after being disproved, vote for the same political party expecting new results, and stick with the same brand of products year after year. This principle is a powerful tool for influencing others.

As humans, we are creatures of habit, and it is difficult to break the everyday mold we have created for ourselves. It is scientifically proven that we evolve as a species. Our tools become more advanced while the way our brain is programmed and the information given to us shapes the way we are live. We start to become so overwhelmed that we just completely shut down, desperate only for the positive information, and sweep everything else under the rug. Or we focus too much on the negative and not enough on how we have the power to change things for the better. When a feeling is so intense, we are completely overwhelmed in that moment.

While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when bad things happen, all we can do is create awareness within ourselves, and make a conscious effort to add to the positive change that we all hope to witness in our lifetime.