Many people look at the injustices facing our planet and feel completely powerless to make even the slightest difference. In Montreal, where I live, there is an overwhelming homeless population who have no option but to sleep on the streets, even on the coldest winter nights; sadly, this happens in many North American cities. Internationally, an alarming number of countries are plagued by violent conflict, severe human rights violations, and extreme poverty.

The problems we are facing, both locally and globally are overwhelming; most people feel powerless to make even a slight difference. Furthermore, many people lead such busy lives that they believe they have little time to volunteer.

Though you may sometimes feel unable to make a difference, this is not the case! You are a powerful person; you can make your community (both local and global) a better place. The way you do this is by embracing your power as an individual to improve the lives of other individuals and small groups of people. The world rarely changes in one great stroke; it changes through the collection of individual actions from people like you.

To illustrate your power as an individual, imagine that you have begun volunteering in your city's Big Brother/Big Sister mentoring program. This is a program that helps disadvantaged youth achieve stability. Because of the training that you receive, you will be equipped to help your mentee build a better life for herself.

In the moment, you are making her happier and her life fuller. In the long term, you will be helping her develop the foundations of a better reality. This will enable her to raise a healthier family and even begin giving back to her community. With time, by touching just one life, you influence and improve many others.

Keep in mind that Big Brother Big Sister is just an example; you can achieve similar effects with a wide range of volunteer activities stretching from your neighbors next door to the other side of the planet.

When you help other people lead better lives, you are creating an effect that will ripple far beyond yourself and the person you are helping. Over time, the effects of your efforts increase exponentially.

As you begin to understand your power to help other individuals you must also exercise it. To truly make a difference, you have to take action; problems are not solved passively.

Commit to giving back to others, if only for a few hours. Do this now.