I’m tired of everyone telling me to think bigger. “You need to play on a bigger field! You’re capable of so much more!” Does that message ever exasperate you?
It sets us up for feeling we’re not enough as we are. And that whatever we do, it doesn’t measure up, or isn’t significant enough. We’ll never feel at peace within, because we’re always comparing ourselves to what we think we should be and do – bigger, better, and more of.
Sure, we can all offer more to the world. I want to do that. But I don’t want to set myself up for an ego-trip of imagining myself to be a Nelson Mandela. And that, if I don’t think that big, I’m just not living up to my potential.
Let’s stop for a moment. Can the world use some more Gandhis and Mother Teresas? Sure. Can we all be that? No. In fact, if the world were full of them, who would follow whom? Who would serve whom?
Not to mention that it’s just plain intimidating to think about doing something on that kind of scale. I don’t even think I’d want to.
But that isn’t how they started. They may not have had a big vision. They started with one, small action.
I want you to think small for a moment. Doable. One good thing that you KNOW you can do. Can you pick up that trash on the sidewalk? Can you call up a friend who is lonely? Can you volunteer at a soup kitchen this Saturday? Or give the extra lemons from your tree to a neighbor?
Planetary – and personal – change comes from a lot of small actions, not big huge ones. Many small steps made by many people. It’s billions of molecules of water together that make a big wave. A bird makes a nest from a lot of small twigs. Don’t tell the bird that one little twig won’t make a difference!
So think small. Today. And then do it again tomorrow. Everyday, can you do a little something to transform yourself, make someone’s day, or make the planet a better place? I KNOW you can.
Then, share it here on my page. It’s not bragging, it’s motivating. Your small thing may just inspire someone else to do the same!
My small thing to help the planet today: turning off my car at long stop lights (the price and energy for a new starter is smaller than the fuel savings). I did that all last month & improved my miles per gallon from 26 mpg to 28 mpg. Any way I can conserve fuel keeps our atmosphere cleaner.
Great idea, Erika – thank you for doing that for the environment!
I’m doing small things to conserve water: 1) taking shorter showers, and turning off the shower when I’m soaping up 2) filling a container with water when I’m running the faucet to get the water hot, then using that water for something later 3) turning off the faucet when I’m brushing my teeth 4) washing my hair a little less often 5) turning off the sprinklers
And I’m thinking every day of what else I can do to conserve water. I’m open to more ideas!