How old were you when you stopped wanting to become a superhero when you grew up?

As childish as this dream may seem now, there’s no denying that this is the period of our life when our souls were at their most vibrant, innocent, and energetic – before they grew weary from the harsh realities of the world.

However, despite all the adult experiences that left us so jaded and tired, there’s still a part of us that longs to fight injustice and heal what’s broken. Regardless of how old we actually are, there’s still that enthusiastic, pure part of our soul that wants to make the world a better place.

And you know what? That is not silly or childish at all. It’s the very best part of us. It’s time to rekindle our childhood dream and finally empower ourselves to create a real change. Here are some ways you can do that.

Volunteer for a cause that matters to you

You don’t have to pick a popular cause or match what your friends are doing. This isn’t about that at all – volunteering is about finding something that matters deeply to you, about immersing yourself in someone else’s plight for a while, and then helping those less fortunate ease their burden.

Volunteering doesn’t have to take up all your time or be physically straining. You can volunteer as much or as little as you like, and there are countless of ways you can fit this kind of work into your schedule. In fact, you can even volunteer online – from managing a crisis line for victims of domestic violence to teaching language classes to disadvantaged children. Helping someone else will empower you and show you that small acts can actually make a resounding impact on someone else’s life.

Don’t be afraid to leave your dead-end job

It’s time to reassess your career. Are you happy where you are right now? If yes, that’s great, keep doing what you’re doing. If not, then maybe it’s finally time for a change. Plenty of people feel downright miserable in their dead-end jobs and never even consider that there might be something else for them out there.

If you think you need more education, then consider getting back to school – it’s really not nearly as impossible as people claim it is. Even if you want to work in complex fields such as medicine, there are courses that you can take in your spare time that can help you land the job you want. For example, you could take a basic life support course, or go a step further and finish the Advanced Life Support (ACLS) course. There are plenty of ways you can learn online, and all you really need are some organizational skills and enough passion to keep you going.

Think about what you want to dedicate your life to, what makes you feel fulfilled, and then pursue that career.

Donate whatever you can spare

It’s always good to donate money to a cause, but it’s not actually the only thing that can help. If you don’t have enough money to give away, consider donating blood, old clothes, or toys your child no longer plays with. Also, consider becoming an organ donor – while this isn’t something pleasant to think about, it is a very noble act that could potentially save someone’s life.

There are even more things you can donate: books, plates and cookware, old electronics, school supplies, cleaning supplies, food, and hygiene products. Check with your local shelters and they should be able to give you the specifics.

Put your thoughts into a journal

Empowerment can only come from thorough self-reflection. If you don’t allow yourself the space to feel and process your emotions and then deal with them accordingly, you’ll never be able to learn and grow. This is where journaling can help. Writing down your thoughts, feelings, and ideas will allow you to examine them more closely and understand yourself better.

Once you get to the bottom of why you feel certain things, you’ll be able to choose which thoughts you want to hold onto, and which ones are unhelpful or even harmful to you.

Learn what self-care really is

How to Love Yourself – A Beginner’s Guide is the single most empowering thing you can do, and the best way to practice that is through self-care. However, you need to understand what self-care really is before you can benefit from it.

Allow us to first tell you what it’s not: compulsive shopping, overindulging in alcohol, and ignoring issues in hopes that they might go away. Regardless of what popular media tells you, self-care is a lot more about discipline and kindness then it is about buying something whenever you feel sad.

Turn to healthy eating, meditation, and exercise to jumpstart your journey. Get enough sleep, drink enough water, do a social media detox. Basically, commit to doing things that are genuinely good for you in the long run, and practice enforcing those small, useful habits that will build you into a stronger, more empowered person.

Make art

Human beings need art to survive. Whether it’s playing music, drawing comics, making DIY jewelry, knitting, pottery, sewing, designing a cool website, or writing, it doesn’t matter. There are many forms of art, and all of them feed and empower our soul because they remind us of why life is worth living in the worth place. Art reminds us to be better human beings and to work towards crafting a world where everyone will be safe, loved, and happy.

Don’t vow to make a change starting next Monday. Do it now. It’s not about big acts or enormous sacrifices. Empowerment comes from small, everyday actions that will help you build a better future.