Ripples #1,009: The Small Things!
Sep 24, 2018
PEBBLE
If you feel like life is passing you by…try throwing yourself into the small things and repeating to yourself: This is where I start.
-Rob Bell, shared by Leslie in Madison, WI
BOULDER
The question you should be asking is, “Can I do one small thing tomorrow to make things a little bit better?” And the answer is almost always yes.
-Dan Pink, shared by Holly in Phoenix, AZ
PONDER
I just wrapped up the final trip of my fall orientation tour and headed back home to catch my breath and rest up a bit as I prepare for some upcoming conference keynote addresses sprinkled around the midwest. The challenge is that the new home we are just moving into isn’t quite ready for relaxation. While most of the renovations the house needed are winding down, there is still quite a bit of cleaning and unpacking and settling in that needs to be done. Upon arriving home, I was too tired and too overwhelmed to even know where to begin.
Luckily, my partner had a better vision of both the finish line and the path to get there. We began with a few small tasks that would have an ongoing impact on our spirits and motivation: getting the music system set up so we could keep on jamming while we were cleaning, and getting the floors cleaned so we wouldn’t see dirt and dust every where we looked. Soon we were making steady progress, and even the breaks were productive as we talked through where to put things, what size rugs we should look for, etc. We still have a ways to go, but our many small efforts are really paying off.
I’ve spent the last few weeks reminding new students that the biggest impact on their grades are their small, daily decisions about preparing for, attending, and participating in class, and the biggest impact on their health are the small, daily decisions about what they eat/drink, how much they move, and how much they sleep. The more overwhelmed you are, the more likely you’ll benefit from identifying the smaller actions that can serve you well.
So…what small things might lead you towards bigger success this week?
Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
P.S. Have I told you lately just how much joy it brings me to have such a fun and engaged group of upbeat people spending a minute with me each Monday? #uRock
