GUIDE THE CHANGE

Create long-lasting change in our own lives, and inevitably make a greater impact on those around us.

I stood in my driveway today, looking at my neighbor's townhome in the complex I moved into 5 years ago. To the right of me lived Bob and Sarah. Bob was an older man who took care of his wheelchair-bound wife. He took her back and forth to doctor appointments. Helped her in and out of the car. Always waved an obligatory hello when we passed each other. After Sarah passed away, we continued our neighborly greetings when we'd see each other come and go. I'd put up pumpkins on his entryway in the fall and take them down after giving thanks to another year of waves and nods.

As I stood with my dogs in the yard, I stared at their garage door and all I could think of was how in the short 5 years I've been living here, both Bob and Sarah have left this Earth. And yet couples were passing me, heading to the Greenbelt for a walk. A handful of neighbors were having a conversation in their driveways. Life kept going by, minute by minute.

“Have you ever watched the sun set? Really watched her, minute by minute? She shifts the colors of the sky in a grand gesture to pull our attention up and away. As the horizon line nears, she seems to dash across it without haste. A stunning, colorful, celebration of another day. How many days out of the year have we missed this radiant finale?"

Time to live a fuller life instead of a life of filler.

I wanted to come up with a way to make small, notable differences in each day. This world has shown us that our ability to control things is just a facade. But if we could be PROUD of something we did every day, even if it was something small and only important to ourself, wouldn't we start remembering the days a little more? And if not, wouldn't we still be living a life full of more achievement than getting the highest score on Solitaire or clearing out our Netflix queue?

I, for one, needed a daily reminder.

So here is what emerged out of a space that has been underserved for way too long. This is how I hope to challenge myself to continue to grow every day, regardless of circumstance. And I'm really hoping you'll join in and contribute to new ideas.

Sunday - CONNECT - Call your family.

- Facetime with friends you haven't reached out to in awhile.

- Meditate and connect with yourself.

- Go for a walk in nature.

- Take 15 minutes to spend uninterrupted with your dog/kid/partner/etc.

Monday - SENSIBLE

- Research how to pay that loan faster.

- Replace all of the burnt out light bulbs in your house.

- Budget. Budget. Budget.

- Do your dishes/laundry/clean.

- Repair something you've been putting off.

Tuesday - CREATE

- Create a new recipe you wouldn't normally try.

- Gather leaves, sticks, flowers outside and make a quick illustration for just that moment that no one needs to know about but you.

- Grab a paintbrush/marker/pen/pencil and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Even if it's just a doodle on a sticky note. But make it YOURS.

- Make the most fantastic drink you've had in a long time.

- Sew, cross stitch, embroider, knit, macrame - Make Martha proud.

Wednesday - OPPOSITES

- If you typically say yes to all the wrong people in your life, make a point to (politely, but) firmly say no.

- If you overcommit yourself to things, make a point to (politely, but) firmly say no. (See the pattern?)

- Take a new route on your walk, drive, previous pattern to get somewhere.

- Whatever you're asked, ask yourself what you would normally say. If you feel comfortable with the opposite of what you'd normally say, GO FOR IT. Would you typically get a blueberry muffin with your coffee? Let's try the apple and peanut butter this time. Accepting every offer that comes your way? Try saying no for a change. Blowing everybody off to live in isolation? (Which, by the way, does not have to be the definition of quarantine.) Set up that Facetime happy hour or meet to go for a spacial walk.

- If you normally grab something to go, make yourself something healthy at home. Go to recipes.com, find a 5 star recipe and go for it. Or try blueapron.com or another home cooking food delivery option.

Thursday - WRITE

- If you're out of time, write one word at the beginning of your day as a guide. Maybe it's compassion. Or kindness. Or patience. Or creativity. Or passion. Whatever that word is, try to live it with your best intention.

- Challenge yourself with a haiku.

- Always wanted to be a songwriter/playwright/scriptwriter/etc.? Hey there! Take 30 minutes and love your passion today. Let your heart spill out onto paper. Or a computer screen.

- Make a quote you can live by.

- Send a love note to someone who deserves it. Your parents. A lifelong friend. That persistent (but not creepy) person on OK Cupid.

Friday - RISK

- Climb that rock you've been weary of. Jump out of a plane. All the standard - GO DO IT things people think of.

- Tell someone you love them. For some people, that may be a parent, a child, or a friend who they haven't been able to say this to for years.

- Invest in that stock you've been putting off. Or learn how and invest for the first time. (With a responsible amount that you're OK with.)

- Ask someone for whatever you've been holding back on. Hold your truth of what you know you want. A raise. An engagement. An extension on a lease. Rekindle a relationship. End a relationship. Regardless of the outcome, feel confident that you know what you want and you went for it. Finally.

- Try that spicy dish you've been scared of. I DARE YOU.

Saturday - HERO

- Go get groceries/grab dinner/mow a lawn for someone who can't do it for themselves.

- Become a big sister/big brother

- Foster a pet. If you find yourself madly in love, adopt.

- Be the bigger person and apologize when you know it's what will make the difference and is the right thing to do. (Do not do this if it will cause resentment down the road.)

- Pay it forward. Buy the person's food who ordered behind you. Keep paying your stylist, massage therapist, bartender - anyone who needs support at this time. Even if there's a chance you won't receive the service later - if you were going to spend it anyway, do it anyway.

My hope is that every week each of you participate on social media to post your micro (or macro if you want!) accomplishments so we can all be inspired from each other. Let's grow into something better, together. And maybe start looking up at the sunsets with gratitude for the opportunity to experience another day.

Cheers,

Nicole