a change would do you good.

why do we worry so much about our lives?!?

...what we look like everyday, what we're going to do this weekend, how much money we don't have to buy the things we want (notice i said want), etc.

especially when there are SO many other things in the world to worry about, mostly outside of this wonderful country we call america.

i think there are a number of reasons we still worry about ourselves, but probably mostly b/c we're ignorant to what's going on outside of our own little bubbles. and that's our own faults.

• have you ever heard of the "kimberley process," a joint agreement between government, civil society and the international diamond industry made to stem the flow of conflict diamonds (rough diamonds used my rebels in africa to finance way against their government)? you might have seen the movie "blood diamond" and came home saying "i don't even want a diamond now..." but that's not the point. fair diamond trade supports an estimated 10 million people globally, including the basis for much of the african government. be sure your diamonds are conflict free. when you buy conflict free diamonds, you could actually change someone's life in africa...for example, there are actually government-funded education and medical programs whose money comes solely from diamond trade.
• did you know that very recently, starbucks refused to negotiate trade agreements with ethiopia unless they agreed to play by starbucks' own terms? ethiopia filed last year to trademark three of their most famous coffees, allowing them to make more money off of their trade (an estimated 88 million more per year to be exact). this would also allow farmers to receive a greater share of the retail value, enabling better life in ethiopia. so what can you do? boycott starbucks?? i'm sure if YOU boycott starbucks, they will become open-minded and trade fairly...probably unrealistic. but maybe you could not go to the barista so often and save the $ you spend each month on coffee (maybe make it in your own kitchen??) and give that to an organization that does have the means to help intervene in this situation. (like oxfam international)

these are just two simple examples of things i have learned about very recently, which i've decided to actually look into and not just "protest" -- to actually find out what we can do to change things for the world.

when i start to read about these things and think about the blessings i have in my ABUNDANT life and the things i take for granted each day, life doesn't seem so bad. let's get real.

READ more (i don't think we know how to read in american half the time...i know i don't)

http://www.oxfamamerica.org/

http://www.diamondfacts.org/

or, even start simple...make your homepage cnn.com or something instead of espn or the always lovely facebook.com where we waste at least an hour a day.

honestly, it'll change your life. and other people's lives, most importantly.