Walk

Jun 18, 2013 by Ben

It doesn’t get any more simple than this.

Go for a walk.

That is this weeks advice.  That is your Truly Simple Action number 25.

Just walk.

Get outside.  Go for a walk.

If you are lucky enough to live somewhere very walkable, then skip the car next time you need to run to the store and walk there.  You’ll get some exercise and buy less stuff because you have to carry it back.

If not, just walk around your neighborhood.  Take the dog around the block if you have a dog.

I walk my dog around the neighborhood each day and rarely run into other people out walking.  Everyone is stuck inside their home.  It’s beautiful outside.  Go outside.  Go for a walk.

So get up, and get outside.  The fresh air will do you good.

Ben…

Truly Simple Actions The goal of the TSA project is to improve your life and help make this world a better place, one simple action at a time. Take time this week to do this one simple thing. Previous TSA’s:

read more

Take a Day Off

May 27, 2013 by Ben

Today is memorial day and I hope you have the day off.  I have just finished a 2 month remodel on our rental house.  I love remodeling.  I love fixing and building, but 2 months of nights and weekends has taken its toll and I am ready for a day off.

So I am taking a well deserved day off.

I am going to relax.  I am going to do fun projects around the house.  I am going to tend to the garden.  I am going to take a day off of the things that I call work and I recommend you do the same as well.

If you live in the US, then you live in the only developed country on earth without a mandated vacation policy.  We have a strange work ethic here, and I admit that I subscribe to it.  I often work way too long and hard to the determent of health or quality time with my family.  This is something I’m trying to keep and eye on and curb to the betterment of my physical and mental well being as well as those around me.

I actually got to spend a weekend with my wife this past weekend and it was wonderful.

So on this Memorial day, I hope you take the opportunity to not only remember those who have served for our country, but use this day off to actually take a day off from the things that you call work.  Put the phone down.  Stop checking email.  Relax and spend some time with those you love to spend time with.  Do the fun things you’ve been wanting to do.

Your Truly Simple Action is to enjoy a day off.

And for those interested in how the remodel came out, here is a before and after of the kitchen.

Before…

 and after…

Ben…

Truly Simple Actions The goal of the TSA project is to improve your life and help make this world a better place, one simple action at a time.  Take time this week to do this one simple thing. Previous TSA’s:

 

read more

It’s a new year, let’s get going

Jan 1, 2013 by Ben

It’s a new year.  It’s a new opportunity to try again.  It’s time to start fixing what’s wrong and making this life a little better.

Does that sound daunting to you?  It shouldn’t.

This is simple.  Come with me.  This is going to be fun.

Starting TODAY, yes, TODAY, we are going to start fixing  our problems.  Starting today, we are going to fix our world, and its going to be simple and dare I say a little fun even.

Every day we have a choice.  We can go left or right.  We can get up and go for a walk or run or we can sit down and watch the latest reality TV show.  This year we will choose to improve.  This year we will choose to make our lives and the lives of those around us better.   This year we will take simple steps toward that goal each day and will see dramatic results.

Imagine a place where everyone around you took that extra step to make your life just a little bit easier.  Neighbors brought up your trash cans for you when you forgot.  Friends cooked a nice homemade meal for you.  Strangers handed  you coupons for the items you were buying at the grocery store.  Everywhere you went, people were going just slightly out of their way to make the world a better place for all those around them.  Does that sound like some place you’d like to live?

Good, lets go there together.

This is simple.  Here’s how it works.

I have created a list of 52 simple things to make you and the world around you better.  Each week, on Mondays, I will post one simple action that you need to take that week.

I see countless magazines and ads for making yourself look better.  “How to drop 10 pounds before the holidays” or “Top 10 muscle building exercises you can do at home” etc.

I also see countless self help books on how to feel better.  Whether it be on how to escape depression or how to cope with stress, there are thousands of titles available.  And while there are several books on how to be a better person I don’t hear people talking about this as much.  In fact I don’t hear many people talking about this much at all.  I want to talk about it.

I don’t just want to be a better person for the sake of being a better person.  I want to make my life and the life of those around me measurably better.  And I want others to aspire to that goal as well.  I want to live in that place where we look out for one another.  I want to be around people who are trying to make life a little better for everyone they encounter.

Now you may say that I’m a dreamer, but I am not the only one.

It really all comes down to a choice.  Do I want to merely exist in this world and scrape by doing the bare minimum or do I want to suck every drop of life out of every minute and make this world a much better place in doing so?

Join me on this simple adventure.  Choose more than just existing.  Let’s change the world together.

Let’s get started right now.

Here is the Truly Simple Action #1

Ben…

TSA = Truly Simple Actions The goal of the TSA project is to improve your life and help make this world a better place, one simple action at a time.  Take time this week to do this one simple thing.

read more

What if the world doesn’t end in 16 days

Dec 5, 2012 by Ben

The countdown is on.  No, not until you can open presents on Christmas, that may not happen this year.

According to the ol’ Mayans and their calendar the world will end on December 21st, 2012 (not sure exactly what time).

But what if it doesn’t?

Now I don’t expect the world to end on December 21st as evident by all the Christmas presents I’ve already bought, but as life has no pauses or stopping points, it’s kind of nice to use events like this to think ahead.

Much like January 1st being the start of a new year with all its new year’s resolutions, we can pause for a second and think about what the world could look like if it doesn’t end.

What do you want from the future?

What changes would you like to see or make?

What plans and dreams can you bring to fruition?What simple ways could you make your life and the life of those around you a little bit better?

If you are interested in these questions and interested in some simple things that can make your life better I hope you will join me on this journey.

Starting around Christmas and going though the new year I will be posting one simple thing each week that you can do to make your life better.

Please sign up for the email newsletter and follow me on Twitter or like me on Facebook to stay connected with TrulySimple and receive each simple, but life changing, thing each week.

These will be simple little things that will be easy to accomplish and easy to see positive results from (hopefully!).

I hope the world doesn’t end on December 21st.  I have so many great things yet to do and I hope you’ll join me in making this world a better place.

Ben…

read more

Transitions

Oct 6, 2012 by Ben

As summer turns into fall and the leaves are changing we find ourselves in transition yet again.  Now being in Southern California, we don’t get the nice leaves changing colors like other areas in country and the fact that it was over 100 degrees a couple days ago, the change is a little less drastic, but its in the air nonetheless.

How do you handle transition in your life?

In addition to the changing of the seasons I am in the middle of some big transitions in my life.  As is inherent in the life of a tech start up, I currently find myself without a job and looking for my next adventure.  At the same time I am in the process of moving my mom down to California to enjoy a little sunshine with us.

I am very fortunate as I view change as a new opportunity or the next great challenge to take on, but not everyone is like me.  Sometimes change is hard.  Sometimes change is frightening as we may not know what comes next.

I don’t know is an acceptable answer

When we don’t know or can’t see our future clearly we can tend to freak out.  Sometimes we freak ourselves out.  We want assurances, we want a plan, we want safety, and we want answers to all our questions, but sometimes the answer is “I don’t know”.   And that is a fine answer.

People hate “I don’t know” as an answer.  You can see them squirm in their uneasiness when they hear it.  As we move into a post modern world we transition from a worldview that said everything can and should be defined and understood.  We are just now beginning to understand that sometimes we don’t have all the answers.  There is a journey filled with experiences we must travel through to find the truth.

I am comfortable with “I don’t know” because I know its not the final answer.  Its not the end.  It’s the point at which you find yourself on your journey to finding the truth.  Be OK with “I don’t know”, but don’t give up seeking the answers and don’t give up the journey.

Very few decisions are permanent or can’t be fixed

Sometimes we find ourselves paralyzed by the choices before us.   What if I choose X over Y?  What if its the wrong choice?  What if I hate it?  What if…what if…what if?

We freeze up thinking of all the things that could go wrong, but don’t continue thinking through those decisions to understand that very few if any of those decisions are permanent.  You can fix most anything if you have to.

A friend of mine is contemplating canceling their cable TV subscription, which I recommended after hearing they were paying over 200 dollars a month.  I followed up asked them if they had done it yet and they said they didn’t because they were scared.

Now in this scenario, whats the worst case that could happen?   If you really needed cable again could you just call them back and sign up again.  They would probably even give you a huge discount for doing so!  Almost nothing is permanent and most everything can be fixed.  Don’t let fear stop you from trying something new.  If you hate it you almost certainly can revert back to the way things were before.

Don’t cry because its over, smile because it happened

I love this quote from Dr. Seuss.  Often we hate change or transition because we don’t want the fun to end.  We don’t want to start school, but rather chase that endless summer.  Take that quote to heart and don’t be sad because the season is at an end, but look back at all the fun you had and cherish those memories.  I will miss the great people I worked with at my last job, but I am so thankful I got to work with them.  I now have new friendships and great memories and will keep in contact with them moving forward.

Plan for fun

As you move forward with the change in your life plan out what fun you will have.  As fall approaches I am ready for ski season to be here.   And its hard to be excited season when its 108 degrees out, but I try.  Plan some fun things you will do during and after this transition in your life.  Are you moving?  Plan some fun things for you and your family in the new city you are moving to.  Take the sting and fear away from change and transition and replace it with challenges and new opportunities to have fun in different ways.

Ben…

And for those of you lucky enough to be where the seasons are changing and the cool air is moving in, here is a great and very simple 4 bean chili recipe for you.  Enjoy

read more