Educate. Understand. Accept. Love. Compromise. Unite.

Those words may seem vague, overused, or rosy – but they hold so much truth and key to them.

They are all steps we need to take to bring the country together, the people together.

There is a problem these days with people: we do not listen to each other. Fighting, refusing to acknowledge the others perspective, the others feelings. It is having that “my way or the highway” kind of thinking.

Things need to change; we all genuinely need to come together as a people, not only a nation. We must educate ourselves on whatever the issues are. Not just to back up the perspectives you believe in, but researching the other side to see why they feel the way they do. Genuinely try to put yourself in their shoes, with their views – even though that can feel almost impossible, especially with issues you are passionate about.

Embrace each other. Step outside the familiar zone. Do not fear the unknown or unfamiliar. Welcome diversity and change. Fight for what you believe in, but more importantly, fight for each other.

We have numbed ourselves towards the “painful” or “too political” problems and debates. We like to put ourselves in bubbles, thinking about social media and entertainment, but once the news pops up on our screen, a lot of us do not pay attention.

Actually only about half of people our age, 18-29, actually look at the news online, while 98% use the internet, 88% using at least one form of social media. So on Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, many of us seem to spend our time there, but do not take time to acknowledge what is happening locally, nationally, and even worldwide.

We are the UNITED States of America! Yes, we are united as a nation in that manner. But we are not fully united as a community, as an entity, as a people.

We are actually divided when it comes to a lot of issues and aspects. And at the end of the day that is fine. We all do not have to feel the same way, or change or conform our views. What is not fine is alienating, offending, judging, disrespecting, and not even acknowledging others perspectives, and others in general.

Whether it is controversial topics like gun rights, abortion, women’s rights, religion, diversity, immigration, the environment or anything else, there is a solution to the debating, fighting, and pain. It is called compromise.

Yes, it is not simple. It is not easy. It is not fast; but it is possible, and it will make a difference. There is no need for rose colored glasses here, it is genuinely achievable.

In the end, you have the right to your opinions and views, and you do not have to change them for anyone; but open your eyes to the other side. You might learn a thing or two and realize it is not as you perceived.

We must not ignore each other, the problems we are facing or issues we are passionate about – especially because it is “hard.” We cannot give up. It is easy to turn a blind eye, or to attack the opposite side of the spectrum – but we can be better than that.

We can unite.