Casting your vote in an election is a good start to making an impact, but that should not be the beginning and the end of your political involvement every four (or two) years. Real change starts years in advance with caucuses and conventions leading up to Election Day, and it continues afterward with activism on a local level through organizations and supporting important issues.

I’ve always been a supporter of individuals being informed. It’s the first step in the journey of activism.

There were several pivotal moments at the beginning of my political involvement, pre-liberty movement many years ago, which opened my eyes to the world around me. This allowed me to choose the “red pill,” thus entering a life-changing journey—daily becoming more aware of the harsh truths of reality that surround us today. While there is much importance in being aware and cognitive towards current events, we must also be ready to wield our power of knowledge for good.

Now is not the time to sit idly by. Now is the time to find something that gets under your skin and makes you mad. It is the time to see what is wrong and to pursue change towards the best in ourselves and in the communities around us. Now is the time to start brushfires of freedom in the minds of those around you. Now is the time to cultivate peace and growth in our own lives, so that we can positively impact the world around us.

It’s easy to be the tireless minority when things are good, when people have your back, and when you see the end goal in the horizon. Unfortunately, it is also easy to become apathetic and annoyed when the road becomes rough, when obstacles are everywhere, and when nothing seems to be going your way.

I know both sides of this coin through first-hand experience. There were times when life was grand, and there were wins for liberty; there were also times when I have been tired and wanted to quit. But, when I wanted to stop pushing forward altogether—it was during those times in my life where I was reminded of the end goal.

So this is my reminder to you: if you find yourself in a place where you are at risk of becoming apathetic and annoyed in your involvement, take a breath. Don’t burn yourself out. This is a call to action. Surround yourself with trustworthy and encouraging people. Remind yourself that life rolls through in seasons and storms, and this too shall pass.

Life is not defined by how we fall in the periods of self-doubts and weakness; life is defined by how we rise and continue forth in confidence on the journey.

I believe that we have been called to liberty—not to use liberty for selfish endeavors but to serve one another. We need to answer the call; we need to actively pursue the end goal and fight for the good in this world.

Find an issue that excites you. Take initiative to learn more for yourself and to educate others. Network and reach out to others within the movement. Become an activist on local, statewide, and national levels. Be mad at the status quo and become the tireless minority to change it.

One vote on election day will have an impact towards what is already on the ballot. There is also great importance of working to change the world in between each election.

When you say that you can’t do this anymore, remind yourself that there is some good in this world, and it is worth fighting for.