do one simple thing today, Thursday, August 28th 2008
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Welcome to One Simple Thing
Every single moment is an opportunity for change. Consider taking just one of the many thousands of moments you have today and doing one simple thing that
- brings more health and happiness to you
- lives up to your highest expectations of what a human being can be
- brings you great knowledge and wisdom
- brings more health and happiness to others
Even you did just one simple thing once today that accomplished just one of those valuable goals, imagine how much better your world would be? Even if no one else did it, the world would be a better place, if only by a small amount. Imagine if you did this every day. Multiply that small amount by the number of days you are alive, and then imagine how much better a world you’d be creating.
And then realize that you’re not alone.
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Visit OneSimpleThing.org whenever you’re looking for something simple to do. Try starting at the beginning of this list (with the “Go for a Walk” entry, just below this welcome message), and do that one simple thing every day for a week, and then come back the next week, and move on to the next one simple thing. And then the next. And so on. Or, browse the categories that interest you the most right now, and pick the one simple thing that you are most interested in doing today.
However you choose to use this website, I hope you enjoy yourself, because that is the simplest thing you can do anytime to make the world, including yourself, better!
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Aug 16 2007 | take good care of myself, be a good person, help others, know more about the world | permalink | Comments (3)Go for a walk today.
Take 15 minutes today and go for a walk. Walk somewhere you don’t usually walk. Walk by yourself. Walk outside. Walk far away, or walk around in big circles. Let your mind wander while you walk. Whatever you like. Just walk for 15 minutes, at least, and then do whatever you want. OK.
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Walking gives you low impact exercise, a chance to relax, and an opportunity to discover something new. Walking has been shown to be one of the most effective treatments for alleviating depression, and walking some place different may help you get unstuck by changing your routine, even if for only 15 minutes.
And, if you decide to walk to work or school or shopping, you’ll be using a sustainable form of transportation. If you aren’t up for walking the whole way somewhere, try going just the last 15 minutes by foot. And if you don’t need to go anywhere at all, just have fun wandering!
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Make something for yourself today.
Try treating yourself to something custom made for yourself, by yourself, and make it as lovingly as you can, so that the craftsmanship really shines. Use whatever skills you’ve picked up over the course of your life, in whatever medium you like, and create something beautiful for yourself. Enjoy!
You can make something as simple as a fruit salad made with only your favorite fruits served in your favorite bowl, or as elaborate as a customized paint job for your bicycle. You could make something very practical, like a map of your favorite walking routes in your neighborhood, or something fun like an amusing hat. Just do something that you’re already pretty good at - for yourself - and show off how talented and self sufficient you are - to yourself.
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With industrialization and mass marketing we can easily get our hands on pretty much everything we could ever need or want, and about a million things that we can’t even imagine using. So there is clearly no shortage of stuff in our lives. But, who makes all that stuff, and do they really care about you or the quality of workmanship that was put into designing it and putting it together? And what if it’s not quite what you need? Well, when you make something for yourself, you know for sure why and how it was made, and you know just how much care was put into making it, and you know that that care was intended specifically for you! And you can make it just the way you like it, to meet your unique specifications. You get to put to use those latent skills you’ve got and been itching to use! And, because you aren’t feeling forced to make it, for work or survival, you can really enjoy the process and put your heart into it.
Don’t try to do something overwhelming, though. Instead, focus on doing something that you already have the skills to do, and do it as magnificently as you can. Focus on the quality. You already have plenty of ordinary, mediocre stuff, you need something unusual and exemplary, even if it’s just one simple thing.
Want some more ideas? Check out the comments section throughout the week, and see what I and others are making for themselves. And let us know what you’ve made, too! And if you make something that you really enjoyed creating, maybe you’ll want to make more, and share them with other people too.
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Ask a different question today, from someone different.
Ask a question today that you’ve never asked, from someone you’ve never talked to. You can ask it out loud, in writing, or just in your actions. And listen to the answer as it is spoken, written, or acted out. Listen as fully and completely as you can. And appreciate the opportunity to learn something new. Enjoy!
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What would you like to know? Every question you have is an opportunity - for learning, for friendship, for happiness, and for more success in life. Come up with some question that you’ve always been curious about, anything really, and seek out someone who can offer you an answer. If you are shy, start out by looking for a book, magazine, or website that seems likely to have an answer. Or look for someone in your community, walk up to them, and say “I’ve been wondering…”
The answer you get may be completely unexpected, and that’s great, because it will offer you an opportunity to exercise your brain and really think about things, and maybe lead you in a new direction that could prove to be very interesting. Or, the answer may be just what you had always imagined, and that’s great too, because then you can move on to other questions about other subjects that interest you.
Try something open-ended, such as “What would you really rather be doing?” or a more direct question, such as “How long does it take for my car to go from 60 to 0?”
You don’t have to do anything after someone offers you an answer. And really, you don’t even need to get an answer. Just asking is a simple enough thing that will make your world a better place, because it shows that you care enough to be curious about the world and those who live in it with you.
And if you’d like some ideas about how to ask questions that really get to the heart of things, and open people up to finding excellent answers, take a look at an explanation of the Scientific Method for objective questions, or the Center for Non-Violent Communication for more subjective, personal questions. And, if you don’t like the answers you find, try out Byron Katie’s Socratic inquiry process and see what happens…
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Offer to teach something you love to do, today.
You’re already an expert at so many things, and you can share your expertise with someone else who might enjoy it. Start by making a list of things that you are good at and love to do. Share the list with your friends and family. And then wait for your enthusiastic students to show up for your wise guidance. You already know about the good stuff, and now it’s time to share that good stuff with the rest of the world. Enjoy!
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We learn a lot of stuff in traditional schools, and there’s a lot of other great stuff that never makes it into our school classrooms. Teaching all that other great stuff is where you come in!
So, what’s your passion? And why not share your passions with others, so that they can do something amazing and fun too? I’ll bet your friends and family would love to know your secret to growing healthy raspberry bushes, repairing a bike, making delicious carrot soup, paddling a kayak, speaking a few particularly amusing words in Russian, making a killer paper airplane, or whatever else you love to do.
While you’re coming up with your list of “classes” stick to fairly simple things, so you and your potential students don’t feel overwhelmed before you even start. Maybe think of things that would take less than an hour, or even just 5 minutes, to teach properly. And if that goes well, and you and your students want more, you can always offer more advanced lessons some other time.
You can put your list of “classes” up at work, at home, on your website, or even on your phone’s voicemail message. Sit back, relax, and let your students come to you when they are good and ready. You can teach in person, on the phone, in a letter, or on a website. And you can offer to share your expertise to one person or a whole group. Whatever you’re comfortable with. You could even do it anonymously, if you like, via a bulletin board or using a secret identity. (I dressed up as a fortune teller once to teach a class on dealing with life changes and grieving. It was a lot of fun, and was more comfortable for me than if I hadn’t been pretending to be someone else.)
The goal of this one simple thing is to pay attention to all the great knowledge that you have, and offer to share that knowledge with others so that they can do great things too. If no one seems interested right away, that’s ok. It might take a while for people to find the time, or you might try listing some different things that you love to do, or even just write up your lesson and put it out there for people to discover at their leisure.
Just being aware of your wisdom and offering to share it is, in and of itself, a fantastic contribution to a healthier world.
Discover your super powers today!
If you were cast as a superhero or an advanced being from another world in a comic book or cartoon, what kind of character would you want to play? Who would you want to be if you could break out of all the normal roles you play in your life? Draw a picture or write a description of your alter ego and stick it up on your wall or fridge to remind you of the amazing secret identity that lives deep inside you. Enjoy!
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We all work hard to fit into our world, our society, our communities, our families and/or our friends, because we need to have at least some place where we feel like we belong. Sometimes when we try to fit in we end up squashing our passions a bit. Sometimes we are afraid that if we acted too much out of the ordinary, we might not be able to make a living, be successful, or keep our friends. But what if your passions could be let out? What if you dared to be a little bit extra-ordinary? What if there was a place where the exceptional and extraordinary did fit in? What if your hopes and dreams and strengths and abilities were allowed to bloom into real superpowers? If nothing else, that place exists in your imagination. And if you can imagine that place, you might get a better idea of who you really are, beneath that plain-clothes disguise you usually wear.
So make up a description, and maybe doodle a cartoon drawing of your magnificent alter ego, write down what great feats you would want to accomplish with your awesome superpowers, and give your character a fitting cartoon character name. Stick up your creation where you can see it regularly. And who knows, maybe, possibly, subliminally, you might find yourself taking on more of the characteristics of your superhero or space alien in your ordinary plain clothes life. You might even find yourself being just a little bit extraordinary, and still fit in just as well.
And, if you can imagine having those super powers without violating any laws of physics, you’ve got a decent chance of actually acquiring them! You know, Batman didn’t have to fall into a vat of radioactive spiders or anything to achieve his status, he just had a lot of good ideas, some spare time, and a spiffy costume.
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Plant something today.
Plant a seed. Or a seedling. Somewhere near where you live, or work. Plant it in a bare patch of ground or an otherwise empty space. Plants can offer us oxygen, shelter, food, building materials, beauty, perfume, medicine, and even clean water. So go on, add some biodiversity to your world, while planning for your future health, today. Enjoy!
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You don’t need a green thumb to plant something. You just need to find something that wants to grow, and then make sure that nothing gets in it’s way. Plants need soil, water, air, and a bit of protection from things like ravaging beasts and invasive plant species. The ravaging beasts that could threaten the health of your plant might include human foot traffic, hungry caterpillars, and digging dogs, while the invasive plant species might include grass, knotweed, and Devil’s beggar’s ticks (a plant that I like to avoid, myself). But really, plants are pretty darn independent and will take excellent care of themselves, if left to their own devices.
Plant something that will grow up to offer you something you expect to need in the future. You can look for some promising seeds or seedlings at a store, or ask your neighbors if they have any extras for plants that that they find particularly useful. Or, you can even collect seeds from the wild (but please don’t dig up any plants that already have a home), and try your luck with some native species.
For short term results, you should try a small, fast growing plant such as radishes or basil, in a pot or in your front yard. You could even try growing sprouts in a jar in your kitchen (lentil sprouts are especially yummy, and only take a few days to be ready). For long term results, try planting a tree that will give you food, shelter, or wood once it grows up. You could even plant something in a public space, if you think the plant would be happy there (and as long as the local humans don’t mind) for a bit of guerrila gardening.
No matter what interesting plant you choose to find a home for, this one simple thing will help you be a better person, by truly bringing good, healthy things to life.
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Borrow something useful or interesting today.
Borrow a book, tool, film, toy, or maybe even a kid. Think of something that you could use, for practical purposes or just for the joy of it, and then ask your friends, neighbors, family, or coworkers if anyone would be willing to lend it to you for a while. Then remember to return it, accompanied by a friendly thank you note, perhaps. Sharing conserves resources and also gives you an opportunity to connect with others. So borrow something, and enjoy a more interesting life, today!
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If variety is the spice of life, then borrowing (and sharing) is the plant that grows the spice. Or something like that. Borrowing things gives you an opportunity to explore a world of diverse useful and intriguing things while simultaneously keeping your life less cluttered - since you can simply return the items when you don’t need them anymore. What an ingenious system! It means more fun and less stuff!
Libraries are a great resource, if you are lucky enough to have one in your community (if not, consider asking around to see if there is interest in starting one). And, of course, you can always use the less formal system of asking folks you know if they have what you need and can lend it to you for a bit. You might be surprised at the amusing and practical things that people have lying around that they aren’t using right now.
If you can’t think of something that you need, how about asking for a good friend to lend you something that they think you’d like? Maybe they have a book or CD that they think you’d enjoy, or a kayak you might like to paddle around for a while, or a game that they think is entertaining, or even a bread machine that would let you try out your theories about how great it would be to make your own fresh bread at home. Let them surprise you with what they’d like to lend you, so that you can discover something new.
For a real adventure, you can borrow a kid! Borrowing kids is great fun since kids are amazing fonts of creativity and humor. Kids also challenge you to see the world from a very different perspective. Young people see all kinds of potential in the world, and sometimes adults miss out on that, and could use a bit of reminding. Kids can also help you rediscover the simple joy of swinging, and running, and jumping, and climbing, and exploring under and inside things. Even if you do have one of your own, borrowing someone else’s kid, perhaps of a different age, would be enlightening and enjoyable. So, if you’re up for it, borrow a kid for a day, and perhaps use him or her as an excuse to go to the children’s museum or amusement park and play like a kid again.
If you’re not feeling that adventurous, then a video from the library might be just what you’re looking for. Or maybe you need a garden tool to take care of that plant you planted last week, and your green thumbed neighbor has one you can use.
And don’t forget, after you’ve gotten good use out of that wheelbarrow, or cookbook, or volt meter, or pogo stick, return it in good condition and thank your generous benefactor, to bring a little joy into their lives too. Borrowing is one simple thing that you can do to explore the resources of your world while helping your community take good care of itself.
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Plan a group event today.
Host a discussion group, classic film viewing party, urban safari, or even a yard sale. Take a leadership role in planning something interesting and give others an opportunity to socialize, explore, and maybe learn something new. You can host your event in your home, at a library, or on the internet. It doesn’t matter what kind of event you plan, as long as it is eventful. Enjoy!
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We all like to have a chance to take on a leadership role and create an interesting experience for others, whether it’s a small gathering of friends to do some crafts, a parade of bikers, or an online discussion about the best way to build a sustainable house. Leading a group gives you the chance to share your ideas with others while everyone gets to enjoy a unique experience. Different kinds of events offer different kinds of fun, but all can offer something. What you choose to organize will depend on what sort of things you are interested in sharing with others - philosophy, art, music, activism, exercise, food, or politics. Even a simple yard sale can be an adventure, especially if you have a multi-family yard sale with some friends and neighbors, and maybe invite some musician friends to entertain your customers - and offer the musicians first pick of your stuff, in exchange for playing - and serve free refreshments to everyone. If you are feeling extra generous, you can donate all the proceeds from your event to a charity that you’d like to support.
Or, how about inviting some folks over to watch your favorite movie? You could go all out and make it a theme party with costumes and movie-themed food, or you could just share a simple evening of movie viewing with a couple of good pals.
If you live in an interesting area, with a lot of unusual buildings or other geographic sites, maybe you could organize an outing to explore and learn about the area. Or just plan a short walk around the local park, or a potluck picnic, or a canoe ride on the lake.
Being a leader can be very rewarding and fun, as long as you remember to keep your plans simple and open-ended. When you host an event for other people, it’s important to remember to let other people make it what they want, so that they get the most out of the experience.
So, keep your plans loose, focus on one simple thing to do, and enjoy sharing an interesting experience with some good people.
Let love guide your life, not fear.
As you come upon important choices in your life today, and you are wondering which path to choose, look for the path that seems most loving. Choosing a path that leads away from fear may seem like a good choice, but if what you fear is also what you love, be brave and go towards the love anyway.
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Fear is a powerful emotion. And it is clearly useful in an emergency situation, when you need to move yourself temporarily to a safer place where you won’t get hurt or hurt someone else. Beyond that, though, fear can get in your way and keep you from the things you truly care about and are passionate for.
Love never leads you astray. You may wind up in a place you never expected to be, and face difficult challanges, but the route that you take with your heart guiding you will be the best journey you can have.
And when I use the term “love” I mean honest love. Not the kind of infatuation that is fleeting or addictive, but the kind of love that underlies all of your hopes and dreams.
I’m not just talking about relationships with family and partners, I’m talking about everything that you do, from work, to play, to politics, to hobbies, to where you choose to live, and everything in between. If it’s an important decision that you need to make, the best way to make it is to go with the choice that feels more loving, even if you are afraid.
Doing what you love, even when you are afraid, is what bravery and courage are all about. And imagine what you could accomplish if you stopped running away from your fears, and instead let yourself be guided by your love, your hopes, and your most beautiful dreams.
Following your deepest love is one simple thing that you can do to take excellent care of yourself, and your world.