small things

Skip the elevator and take the stairs. It takes a lot of energy to lift those big ol’ boxes up and down. You can save a lot of energy and resources by skipping it even once a day. Plus, you’ll burn a few extra calories every time you walk up yourself. It’s a win win.

In the past, whenever I heard the words “life changing event” I imagined a single event in which my entire life changed. Recently I came to realize that life changing events happen every day. These events are usually a series of small things that happen, not always one major event. These smaller events, whether physical or metaphysical, create new ideas and have the potential to expand our current thinking and improve our physical circumstances. A simple shift in thinking about one negative thing can be life changing when you begin looking at it in a positive light.

If you’re in the market for a new computer, consider getting a notebook. Notebooks use around 4x less energy, use fewer resources (including packaging, peripherals, hardware, cables, etc), require less energy to ship, and they’re completely portable and take up far less space than the alternative. Sure, they cost a bit more but once you start adding up all of the benefits, notebooks are a great option to that big clunky mess on, under, and behind your desktop.

Small things and small decisions can be much more efficient and effective, rather than getting overwhelmed by diving head-first into something big, which can often paralyze us because the consequences and the commitments are just too much. Break your big changes/projects down into small parts. It’s much more empowering, sustainable, and more likely to bear fruit.

The greatest aid in getting anything done is the belief that you can do it.

Slow down and concentrate on the one thing you’re doing right now. And take a deep breath while you’re at it. Doesn’t it feel good to recognize that you’re actually here… right now? This is where it’s all happening. See how long you can stay here before being swept away by the external world again.

Why put one pepper or a bunch of broccoli in a separate bag, just to put that bag in another grocery bag?  We can save thousands and thousands of plastic bags by keeping our vegetables loose and not bagging each separately.  You’re going to go home and wash them anyway right?  If you’re buying 2 lbs of mushrooms though, you might have to bend the rules… unless you remember to bring your used ones back…

Watch what you feed your head. The information that pours into your mind on a daily basis has a huge impact on your experience and ultimately, who you are. Consciously add positive content, media, thoughts, ideas, etc. to your daily routine instead of unconsciously filling up with a lot of the garbage, negativity, gossip, etc. that’s out there. You are what you eat? Yes…. and you’re also what you think!

Put your computer to sleep instead of using the screen saver. Running your monitor takes a significant amount of energy, which adds up even more over time. And if you just can’t bear the time it takes to wake up (then you’re probably using a windows ;), seriously though, have the computer set to just turn off the monitor instead of sleep or screen saver. This leads to less energy consumption and money savings. Imagine how it would add up if it were required by just one semi-large company. 

Doesn’t it seem so much easier to run from your problems? It does SEEM that way sometimes but it really turns out to be so much worse. When we actually face and push through our problems, we grow, and we don’t have to come back and confront them later. It’s actually a lot easier to face our problems now.