Islamic Genocide & Terrorism; Climate Change; Israel's Left Wing Whackos; these are some of the issues that hardly any one of us has any influence over. Out of this assumption, most people reach the conclusion that not much can be done to change the world, unless you devote your life to politics.
This conclusion is erroneous. We can also make change by simply adjusting our lifestyles, to a) live a better life and b) help Klal Yisrael and the world. If fact, we are already doing this. Here are some tips to a lifestyle that betters the environment, does not support Islamic genocide and terrorism, and improves our happiness and meaning in life.
1) Work from home. Start a small business, or get a job where you can VPN into the office and stay at home and work. With online video conferencing, improved security (especially if you use Biometrics - see bottom link), and large basements in most people's homes, working from home just makes sense. It is the best thing that has ever happened to the history of the workforce. It does not ruin your social life - because you'll still meet with coworkers and clients in real life; Heck, you can invite each other over to work together - in a stress-free environment with much camaraderie and a spirit of cooperation. If you're a student, enroll in a university that allows for e-learning. This, in addition to not having to commute twice a day is good for you, the environment, the family, and everything in between!
2) Bike. Use a bicycle for your grocery shopping & lobby for more bike lanes in your city. Biking achieves two "importancies": you get the extra exercise you so badly need, and you get to where you need to go! If you live in a cold place (like Montreal), you can get special clothing for biking in the winter. The clothing takes care of the cold, and you can set up special tires to handle maneuvering in the snow. If you want to be extra safe, you can wait until all the snow is cleared from the roads and bike lanes before you hit the peddles.
Use the car only when absolutely necessary. A justified use of a car is when driving to a retreat in nature, taking a group of friends / family for an outing, or going out on a date. Try to carpool more, and take trains for inter-city travel. If you purchase a car, go for a hybrid. Don't feel guilty getting a sports car or convertible, but steer clear of SUV's. Minivans are awesome.
3) Be wealthy, but eat healthy. Consume lots of vegetables. Eat traditional foods. Keep kosher. Limit carbs and fats. We are entering an era of a massive rises in food prices, mainly because of the end of cheap oil and our reliance on Ethanol. One SUV tank of ethanol amounts for as much corn as a person's yearly food supply, and so we'll be spending a larger percentage of our income on food than we did before. This is good for the Third World, however, because people in these countries live on less than $2/day because of Western countries' dumping of their excess supply of crops into the world market, which chokes up the small farmers. Most poor countries today still rely on agriculture with as much as 60%-80% of their populations being rural farmers. Higher food prices means more money in their pockets and a better life style for them, which would in turn improve education and strengthen emerging economies.
4) Invest in innovation and emerging economies. China and India are two emerging superpowers. They are still following the lead of the West - for example, India mostly supplies programmers, but not much innovation. Israel, on the other hand, is a hotbed for innovation. Invest in Israeli high-tech, Indian outsourcing, and Chinese manufacturing. It is also a great bet to invest in the Brazillian stock market - it is the fastest growing stock market in the world. Get Brazillian mutual funds.
5) Move to Judea and Samaria. Don't just make aliyah - that's Left Wing Zionism. Move to the Shtachim - that's what we should all be doing. Moshe Feiglin is a perfect role model for this - he lives in Karnei Shomron, rides his bicycle every morning, and works from home - unless he is speaking somewhere. Moshe Feiglin is working on taking over the Likud and is the leader of the Jewish Leadership movement (jewishisrael.org).
6) Practice a martial art. You need physical activity in your life; the best way to get it is by joining a marital arts group. Martial arts are good for cardio, strength, agility, flexibility, and self defense. Most of all, it will make you feel great about yourself. I like Judo, and I have a friend who does Krav Maga. Two great choices.
7) Do the things you love. Make time to be with your family. Read books (start with a Tony Robbins to get pumped up). Learn Torah and spirituality. Get married. Have Kids. Daven to Hashem with Kavana. Practice meditation - prayer is the strongest force in the universe. Set your spirit free. The sky is the limit. With all the economic points above, you should be able to create time for yourself. Live your life to the fullest!
Topic: How to Live a (Meaningful) Lifestyle that Makes the World a Better Place (Read 1672 times)