We live in fantastic times. Never before in history have the doors of opportunity stood open for so many people. The technological revolution has given rise to a generation of pioneers. The relative affordability of home computers, mobile devices and internet access have fueled innovation and progress around the world. From a stay home mom starting an orphanage in Thailand, to communities dedicated to dropping some love on people in need; technology has made the world delightfully small.

Modern life in the west is often marked by a sense of disconnect, too often the result of job mobility.  My own foray into the world of the web was born of boredom and loneliness. As a young mother who stayed home to raise children,I felt isolated. We moved around the country for my husband’s career and each transfer meant uprooting the family and starting over. As unintuitive as it may seem, a machine about the size of my palm held the gateway to forming real and powerful human connections.

Katherine Stone

One woman who has used the power of technology to help her discover her life’s work and change the world is Katherine Stone. After her own battle with postpartum depression Katherine launched PostPartum Progress in 2004. Her site has helped over half a million women providing support, encouragement and resources. Katherine also founded  Postpartum Progress, a non-profit organization, “which is dedicated to increasing awareness and vastly improving the support and services available to mothers with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.”

The Internet is the modern day front porch swing which connects us in real and deeply authentic ways. It is the door that connects our passions and our dreams, with the ability to affect meaningful change in ways unfathomable just 25 years ago. The simple act of opening a laptop is a catalyst for women to seek information, discover their passion, develop their plans, and achieve their dreams.

Tsh Oxenreider uses the power of technology to run Simple Living Media, a group devoted to inspiring families to — well, live more simply. She first launched Simple Mom as a personal way to cope with her new life living overseas, but it has grown into one of the most popular parenting blogs on the Internet. Now, through her network of five blogs and her book, Organized Simplicity, Tsh’s message of simple living reaches 1.3 million readers each month. SLM employs four additional women giving them the opportunity to work from home.

Tsh Oxenrider

The internet has helped spread the word about  those in need through projects like InvisiblePeople.TV. Invisible people brings the plight of the homeless to the world. The vlogs share the stories, the names and the faces of the ones so often that live in societies shadows.

Technology has given us amazing ways we can help change the world. Intel’s Progress thru Processors is one of the coolest and easiest ways to get involved.

By downloading this application on to your computer you’ll join with the people helping solve some of the world’s greatest challenges. The application helps scientists in their mission to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges.  Whether their research focuses on fighting disease, finding alternative energy, or providing clean drinking water to villages in Africa, these projects are all in need of huge amounts of computing power. Intel’s Progress thru Processors application automatically directs my computer’s idle processor power to fuel researchers’ computational efforts.

I’m helping to change the world while i’m asleep. That, my friends, is a total win! You can download the free application here. (Disclosure- I love Intel and work with them often because they get it. Intel was a rockstar sponsor of BlissDom this year. This article is part of that relationship. I work with them, I love this project and you will too!) Of course Intel’s application doesn’t hurt your privacy or computer security – it just uses your computer’s processing power during the times it’s usually dormant.

From my iPhone at BlissDom

I never imagined opening my laptop would lead me to my life’s work and I’m so happy it did. I bring good things to women. I curate awesome. I find talented people from around the world and highlighting them here on Blissfully Domestic. I have the privilege of hosting BlissDom in the US and Canada and seeing over a thousand smart, innovative, creative women come together from all over the world. Friendships were born, knowledge has been shared, companies have been built, and lives have been changed as a result.

My challenge to the world is to use technology for good whenever possible. The opportunities are there.  To educate ourselves and others, build communities and businesses, and achieve our dreams – the time has come.

Your Turn! Take a minute to download the Progress thru Processors program. Then, I would love to hear from you. Has technology helped you to discover your passions, reach for your dreams or changed your life for the better? What is that dream inside of you? What are your interests that technology could help you explore?