The Small Steps Project

Fumio Sasaki's book Goodbye, Things is one that is about living a satisfying life with less stuff.  It also looks at appreciating what we already have.  A way that Fumio Sasaki remains so content is that he looks at the upside in every situation.  Fumio believes that for almost any situation we are in there is a positive: this could be having time to listen to a favourite podcast while stuck in traffic, to being able to enjoy the warmth of a fire when the weather outside is 'terrible'.  Of course there are times when the immediate pain of loss can be extremely upsetting and challenging, but, for most situations that we face daily there is the opportunity to look for an upside.  This focus on the positive will lead to you being more aware of the many good things in your life, as opposed to feeling like things can't get better, with the world conspiring against you.  #focusonthepositive

In the late 1990s a programme was set up in Lahore, Pakistan, that was designed to get residents to wash their hands.  It had been found that a huge amount of people were doing this in a half-hearted ineffective way, or not at all.  The project leader put in place a system in which households were given a soap that was easy to apply and smelled nice.  The impact was considerable; health issues that were rampant decreased significantly, essentially saving lives.  It's incredible that something so simple and easy to do can be so effective.  We are currently in the midst of a global pandemic.  A key message at this time to stop the spread has been to wash our hands.  Sometimes it's easy to believe that a simple process won't work - how can something seemingly so trivial be so effective?  However, if you look back in recent history, the case of Lahore, Pakistan, you'll find that washing your hands really does save lives.  #washyourhands #washin...

One of the things I enjoy watching most of all on YouTube are travel vlogs.  One in particular that I enjoy is Indigo Traveller, by a New Zealander who goes to places that others tend to avoid.  Recently there seems to have been a focus on Pakistan, a country that many would consider too extreme and dangerous to go to, especially if a search of the country was done on a news site.  However, the picture that is emerging from the many of travel vloggers is completely different to what news sites would suggest.  These travellers, who come from a range of countries, including The United States, experience nothing but friendly locals across the country as they go from from one beautiful site to another, always feeling safe and always feeling overwhelmed by the hospitality of the locals. It's important to always get your evidence from a range of sources to form an opinion, with no source being more relevant that your own experience.  Those who venture beyond the main...

The Stoics continue to inspire me with advice shared from thousands of years ago that is still relevant today.  Here's one such example from Epictetus: 'First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do'. As is the case of so much of what Stoic philosophers have written, this from Epictetus is simple and it makes sense; for whatever you want to be, say to yourself what this is.  From this point you will now need to do whatever is required to be this person.  For example, if you say to yourself you would like to be fit and healthy, that's the first part done.  If you want to be this person you need to identify the actions that will get you there.  In the case of being fit and healthy this would be exercise and diet. When choosing you actions it's important to follow the strategy shared by James Clear in his book Atomic Habits, this being to start with a small first step that's very easy to do.  In the case of exercise James suggests...

James McAvoy is recognised for his ability to perform extraordinary feats of endurance.  This has included the likes of rowing for 45 hours without stopping on a rowing machine.  To put this into perspective, if you get the opportunity, try rowing for just one hour - you'll quickly learn what a monumental achievement a 45 hour row is!  What's admirable about James is not just that he is an incredible endurance athlete, it's the fact that so much of what he does is done deliberately to inspire and fundraise for others, especially those who are vulnerable.  James hasn't always been a giver, the fact is that he learned many of his good habits while in prison for armed robbery.  James's life up until his early 20s was all about taking from others, regardless of the harm he inflicted.  However, while in prison, where he was often on his own in a tiny cell for 24 hours a day, he learned the benefits of routines to pass the time and get things done.   ...

A TED Talk I recently saw presented by speaker Noeline Kirabo discussed the idea of finding and following your passions.  She shared two questions that we should ask ourselves to identify our passion, these being: What would you do if you had all of the time you need and all of the money you need to do it? What truly makes you happy? Noeline goes on to talk about how many of us feel that only those with plenty of money and/or are retired will be able to do what the answers to the questions identify.  Noeline challenges this; she believes that in some way we can all do what the answers to the questions identify, provided there is at least some degree of realism in our answers.  For example, if the answer to question one was to travel, you will find that there are likely to be many wonderful places that are easily accessible to where you live and are only a short drive away.  In the case of what makes you happy, I would guess that in many cases it's being with peo...

Today is ANZAC Day, a very special day in the history of our country.  In any year this is a day marked by services, dawn parades, and a range of gatherings.  Because of COVID-19 things have been considerably different in 2020.  However, different and making do hasn't made the day any less special and, in many ways, has brought our communities even closer together.  I have seen: My own school doing so many fabulous displays on letterboxes, fences and houses to show resoect.  This has been the same all over town. Numerous lovely events being set up on social media. People standing outside their houses at dawn to show resoect. A mini service outside a house with neighbours (all maintaining social-distancing protocols). Perhaps some of these things would have happened anyway, but maybe they wouldn't have.  I have loved the way that people have 'made do', showing respect in their own ways to recognise all those who have served for us.  #makingdo #anz...

While reading Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki (for the second time, and I am sure I'll read it many more times), I came across this quote from Albert Einstein: 'A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?' I love this quote, as it shows how simple and attainable happiness can be.  Just about all of us have access to the first three items in Einstein's quote, but we could change the fourth item for any activity that makes us happy.  For example, an artist could say: 'A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a set of paints; what else does a man need to be happy?' I think happiness can become overcomplicated and we can be led to believe that to be happy we need more stuff, upgraded equipment, and more adulation, etc.  However, just as Einstein shared, happiness can be found in simplicity and doing the things we truly enjoy.  #happinessinsimplethings #findinghappiness

Bill Belichick is one of the most successful coaches in the history of professional sports.  As a coach in the NFL he has won six Superbowl titles!  This is an incredible feat, as winning just one title on it's own is exceptional.  To get to where he sits now Balichick had nothing handed to him on a plate.  He started out earning $25 a week doing menial tasks.  While in this role he offered to, in his spare time, watch footage of matches to get a greater insight into the game, opponents, tactics ... all in aid of finding those things that would help his own team get better.  Watching footage didn't mean sitting back with a beer enjoying matches, it meant tediously watching play after play, again and again; it was a job no one else wanted to do.  He would then pass on his analysis to head coaches, getting no or very little credit for his work.  However, eventually Bill Balichick became invaluable, as his knowledge of the game and work ethic made ...