2012 is an infamous year, a fringe year, where logic is often set aside for mystery. It has been predicted as a year of change for over a millennia.

Reports that claim the Mayans foretold of 2012 being the end of the world have got things wrong. The end of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012 does not signify an apocalyptic event, but the end of the current 5,126 year 'long count' era and beginning of the next long count period.

"For the ancient Maya, it was a huge celebration to make it to the end of a whole cycle," said Sandra Noble, executive director of the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, when speaking to a USA Today reporter.

Some people attribute mystical qualities to each long-count period and believe that human kind has an opportunity to make a major 'ascension' in 2012, with people moving away from materialism to a higher level of consciousness and connectedness.

Whatever your belief, the fact that people are talking and thinking about the possibilities of 2012 creates a unique opportunity.

There is a phenomenon in physics known as the observer-effect, where the act of observing something has an impact on the thing being studied. In other words, simply taking note of the possibility for change in 2012 could create an environment where change could actually happen.

This is, you could say, a time with potential.

The question then becomes, are we each as individuals satisfied by the direction our lives and society has taken? If not, what changes would you most like to see happen?

Personally, I have decided to make 2012 a year to break out of common traps that affect who I decide to buy from.

After seeing the glut of greed-driven advertising this holiday season that started with 'black Friday' sales moving up to Canada, I have to ask: Are we really this shallow, this simple?

A paradigm shift is needed in how we think about what we buy, and it's not really that different from the paradigm shift that saw us go from reluctant recyclers on the fringes, to communities that now pick up the regular garbage every other week, with both dry and compostable recycling collected weekly.

Think of every dollar you have to spend like a vote.

Instead of voting to support businesses because they offer the cheapest price, consider shifting the way you think about buying and ask yourself, which local businesses can I 'vote' for and support, whether personally or when buying things for your business.

Much like with recycling, as individuals acting alone it is difficult to make an impact. Yet if we want change to happen, we as individuals need to be, in the words of Ghandi, the change we want to see in the world.

When we find great, small businesses in our local communities we need to support them, sometimes even if it means going out of our way to do so. So buy local when you shop (and let others know using the #golocal social media hashtag).

Dine at a local restaurant rather than a chain. Visit a local pharmacy, grocer or health store. Buy clothes from a retailer in the community. And when the season is right, support local farmers.

I tried shopping locally out for myself when buying Christmas gifts this season, shopping in small shops in my local community. At first it seemed like an inconvenience. On my first visit the stores I wanted to explore at had closed and I had to make a second trip the next day.

Yet as I made the effort, I found something refreshing thing happening. I found myself slowing down, talking to people and reconnecting to the experience of buying, rather than rushing through shopping to jump on to my next task.

Those connections, I expect, will be things I will strengthen over the coming year and in turn, will strengthen my local community.

It is simple. Something we all have the power to do. Be the change you want to see in the world. There is no better time to start than in 2012, the year of change.

Article sources

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-03-27-maya-2012_n.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesoamerican_Long_Count_calendar