How can I actually "be the change I want to see in the world? "?

I don’t know either. I’ve been thinking of the same. I am becoming more aware that we don’t clean up our own back yards before we set out cleaning others’. For that, my thoughts have been small…like, carrying a trash bag when I walk and doing what is “right” to my neighborhood and the nature that surrounds me. How much do I need vs. how much do I want! If this is the type of answer you are looking at, let me know. If you are going deeper. You’ll have to find a deeper person. I live near the oil spill in the Gulf. This has been a very big problem for us so it has been easy to try to find out how to make a “change”, cleaning and cleaning the beaches. Good luck on your journey!
Jeanne

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead

It means that you should live in a way that you wish the rest of the world would. We can not just dream about change while sitting on our butts doing nothing about it. Nothing would change if we only imagined it.
Most of us do this naturally to some degree. Whether it is through activism or just our attitude towards the world and certain topics.

Nothing a vest of explosive cant fix.

martyr-isem, a solid way to make change.

Starts to run far away from @ChazMaz but pauses long enough to say:

I would like to see more tolerance in the way we talk and relate to one another, so I try to practice that. For example, when I hear someone expressing political views I disagree with, I don’t immediately assume they’re an idiot. I hear them out, and then I express my own views. When they’re mentioned without venom, a really helpful discussion can take place.

Having said that, there are some radio announcers and television personalities whose views I find truly idiotic.

I live according to my ideals but I lack the charisma to induce others to follow my example. My life and work can serve as an example, but I have no desire to publicize myself.

Here’s an example:

I want humanity to get rid of wars.

Think big, start small.

Stop using aggressive language. How can this be done? Visit the Center for Nonviolent Communication at http://www.cnvc.org for example and get started tomorrow.

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I always thought this was a simple concept, to me anyway. It means i should behave in such a way that i would like to see everybody else behaving as, eg be kind to others and helpful even of strangers (not that i’m very good at this latter one…), living your life so that you’re always mindful of your impact on the environment and the living spaces of others, to think about how your actions affect the feelings of others, and to be generally considerate. Set a good example to everybody. That’s what it means to me.

I think it means that if there’s something you think needs to be changed, go and change it yourself. It depends what causes and issues are important to you. Be an activist.

What do you think is important to change? I think people need to be better educated so they have a greater understanding of the impact they have on everything.

I work at an educational institution and I fluther.

For a start, don’t have children.