If you don’t think personal action makes a difference on big things like elections or the environment, try looking at it this way. I’ll put it in terms of the environment, but it applies to diet, voting, self-expression, and more.

Many people do many things against their environmental values. Not just in general, but many times daily. They buy packaged food, they eat packaged food several times daily. They drive places they could walk, ride, or take public transit. They buy more stuff than they need. They let food spoil and throw it away. They contort their values and self-image to believe (while not really believing) that they’re powerless or that what they do couldn’t matter. Etc.

Here’s the other perspective:

How many times do you have to act against your values or hurting others before you change?

When I habitually act against my values, I tend to do so over and over each day. That means over and over I’m giving in. Cumulatively, that’s a lot of decisions, a lot of actions.

Each time is practice to do more or better next time. Maybe this view doesn’t apply to voting done once a year or less, but with diet and environmental action, you’re acting dozens, maybe hundreds, of times daily.

They add up fast!

You can lead yourself and others fast by acting many time daily. People see not just one act but many — a lifestyle they can emulate.