Well, boys and girls, we’ve made it to 2016 and the world still spins as it always has. Many of you have likely kicked off the new year with a list of resolutions, and if you’ve done so, I commend you for your good intentions. If you wanted to make some changes but you’re stumped for ideas, you can find plenty of possibilities here, here, and here -- it’s never too late to make a fresh start. Keeping resolutions can seem difficult or even impossible at times, but it can be done, and plenty of research and encouragement exists to support you in your quest; I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors.

But maybe you’re like me and you haven’t made a list of things to change this year; maybe you lack the energy, will, or simple inclination, or perhaps you think the whole idea of New Year’s resolutions is tired and outmoded. Perhaps you’ve even made resolutions but are already scrapping or rethinking them. Whatever your reasons, I'd like to suggest an alternative to concocting a list of New Year’s resolutions that, without constant attention, sufficient preparation, and ample willpower, you will experience great difficulty in keeping and great shame in failing to keep. Instead of coming up with the same list of things to change as you did last year, try something new and take up a cause.

I might have just lost several readers there, but for those of you who are still with me, the concept of activism is not unattainable and is only as simple or complex as you choose to make it. You do not have to dedicate your entire life to a specific cause -- no one is asking you to become the Batman of social justice -- but if that is what you feel called to do, then more power to you. Take on as many or as few new responsibilities as you wish; become as involved as you feel comfortable doing. The only rule I am setting out for you before we proceed is that you choose something that you believe is worthwhile and that you work toward the betterment, not the detriment, of humanity. If your chosen cause is something like ecoterrorism or world conquest, I will kindly ask you to leave Earth. I hear Mercury is lovely this time of year.

Now that I’ve lost all the megalomaniacs, those of us remaining can proceed as planned. I probably don’t need to explain the spiritual and material benefits of working for the betterment of humanity or the planet; frankly, any attempt by me to justify doing good the reader would likely come across as arrogant, silly, and redundant. More importantly, I’m running out of words, and your time and attention are not infinite, so let’s get down to brass tacks. If you’re with me in the decision to find something worthwhile to support this year, allow me to help you refine your search and give you a place to start. I may not have a lifetime of worldly experience, but I do have the Internet, and if you’re reading this, then you probably do, too, so get ready for some hyperlinks!

Ideally, you want to work for something you’re passionate about, so think of something you love to do or something that makes you furious. If any of the topics below strike a chord within the center of your being, I encourage you to follow any or all of the provided links. It is vitally important to educate yourself not only about the range of organizations that exist, but also about their individual missions and values. If nothing I've dug up moves you to take a closer look, I encourage you to do research of your own to find something you care about, educate yourself on the topic and then go out and fight for it.

Are you concerned with the overall condition of the world and the people that inhabit it? You might want to check out Greenpeace or Doctors Without Borders for starters. If you’re a United States citizen, you might also consider Peace Corps or The Salvation Army. If global, international, and national humanitarian and environmental efforts frighten you with their size and scope, you can narrow your gaze to the local level by finding a local homeless shelter or food bank and offering your time, energy, or resources.

Do you want to combat specific illnesses or raise awareness for diseases that have affected you or someone you know? Various types of cancer garner attention and support from organizations and events like Relay For Life, F*ck Cancer, and Movember. But other diseases like diabetes and HIV/AIDS deserve their fair share of attention and support, too; foundations and programs like JDRF and PEPFAR do their part to raise awareness and provide treatment for these diseases. Groups like NAMI address the deficiencies in mental illness education, support, and advocacy, an ever-present and growing issue that affects more people than you know. These are obviously not the only medical conditions affecting people, though, and there is a good chance that someone somewhere is working towards providing a cure, or at least efficient treatment and valuable support, to a medical issue or deficiency that you care about.

But maybe your interests are less broad-based and more specialized. Do you love animals more than you love people? The ASPCA does a lot of good work with protecting animals, even if sometimes their main goal seems to be making people cry with pictures of helpless-looking dogs instead of, you know, rescuing those dogs. Does music charm your soul? Then check out El Sistema, which works to provide underprivileged children with access to music education and uses the transformative power of music education and performance as a vehicle for social change. Does your political stance raise your blood pressure and set your heart aflutter? Well, in case you haven't heard, there's some kind of election or something happening later this year, so now would be a perfect time to get in touch with your preferred political party or maybe even throw your hat in the ring. And if you're ditching your New Year's resolutions but still want to devote your efforts to self-improvement, The Art of Manliness has sound, well-researched advice on a variety of topics including fitness, style, life management, and social skills; many of their articles are applicable to both men and women, but if the name scares you off, there are hundreds of other resources online devoted to different methods of self improvement.

Now, I can't cover every area of interest with a cause worth fighting for, and I'm sure I missed some big ones, but when you get down to it, they're all big -- somebody cares passionately about every single one. What I'm challenging you to do is not to try to save every aspect of the world this year, but instead discard your list of generic resolutions and give some of your attention to just one worthwhile cause. Take a stand for at least one issue this year. The more you research, the more you start to care about what it is you're learning, and the more likely you are to do something about it. And while I can't promise you that you'll become a legend through your devotion to your cause, I can almost guarantee that the more you put into this pursuit, the more you're going to get out of it, and 2016 might end up being a better year, not only for you but also for the world at large.