I have always felt very blessed to be in my profession. As an actor I have explored a craft that I love, traveled the world, and sometimes earn large amounts of money that has given me a lot of freedom. Currently, I play ADA Michael Cutter on NBC’s Law & Order and have a newly released movie called Before The Rains that is playing in the US and opening worldwide. I've chosen a career that is volatile and risky and things can change in a heartbeat: you might not get work for a year – so you can never take it for granted. But I have faith that when you give yourself to life then things come back to you, maybe in unexpected ways.

In the past 7-8 years I've given anywhere between 40-60% of my earned income. I have given to emergency relief and to other things as they come up, but I have chosen to put nearly all of my eggs in one giving basket, with EnlightenNext.

EnlightenNext is a global organization that is bringing people together to create a revolution in consciousness and culture. The work focuses on getting to the heart of where real change occurs, and it gives me confidence that we can build new foundations for our future. Einstein once said, 'You can't solve a problem from the level of consciousness that created it.' If we are going to solve big problems in the world then we have to find a way to change at the level of consciousness and this will inform everything that we do. I know in my heart that our collective power as human beings when we come together beyond boundaries is nothing less than explosive creativity. EnlightenNext is directed towards harnessing this potential.

I'm encouraged by seeing people step forward who want to get involved in EnlightenNext by making this vision a reality. I helped with a webcast that we did recently which had 10,000 people respond, wanting to engage in creating a positive future: teachers, business people, people in the media, people who work with prisoners, and many more all looking to bring greater consciousness to bear in their field of expertise.

Giving this much financially is not necessarily comfortable. I have a strong impulse to give and inevitably then the fear of loss comes up. I have to sometimes push myself over a line. It's like a good physical work out where I have to get past the inertia. As with many things in life we often like to stay vague so we don't have to commit. And this is very true around finances. Once, I get clear about where things are financially, I often find I have more money and more time that I can liberate and give. I ask myself: What have I got? What do I need? What can I give? Can I take a risk...and not play it so safe? I want to push that edge.

Part of my giving is also my time. I value it as much if not more than giving money because it shows me how deep my commitment is. Most of my time outside of my professional work I put into volunteer work as the Managing Director of the NY center for EnlightenNext. I want to keep giving whatever I possibly can to sustain it and support its growth. I'm excited to learn how to be a good fundraiser and to bring support to the work beyond my own means and I feel free to ask people to give fully because I'm giving at my own full capacity. That’s also part of the power of giving...it gives you the platform to ask others to liberate their bank accounts for the greater good.