TSA#1 – Help out a Stranger

Jan 1, 2013 by Ben

Welcome to the first of the Truly Simple Actions for a new year.  Here’s how this 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.

Each week + one thing = life better.

Simple huh?  That’s the idea.

TSA #1:  Help out a Stranger

This week’s TSA isn’t about you, but you will most definitely get the benefit from this.  This weeks simple action is to help out a stranger.  This week you must break out of your routine and think of someone else.  You can be creative in how you accomplish this, but know this going in:

The more you do for someone, the better you will feel.

If this sounds scary to you start off small.  Let that car merge in front of you on the freeway.  Let that person who only has a few items check out ahead of you at the store.  It’s these little things that simply make that persons day better.  That feeling travels forward.  Then if that starts being more comfortable, step it up a little.  Pay for someones coffee behind you in the drive through or buy someone a meal that needs it.  Donate to a good cause to help others.

A big part of these simple actions that I propose each week is seeing tangible benefits that are demonstrably real, and this is why I started with this one.  Helping out someone else gives you a HUGE smile on your face and a wonderful feeling inside.  It is such a great feeling that you will want to continue doing nice things for others to keep the feeling going.

It’s a wonderful addiction.

So that’s it.  Right now, get out a sticky note or piece of paper and right down on it: TSA #1:  Help out a Stranger

Put it somewhere you will see it often and get going.  Think about some fun and simple ways you can help others and do it.  If you’ve got some great ideas, please post them in the comments.

Happy new year everyone.  Let’s start off 2013 right and make this year simply awesome.

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.

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TSA#39 – You Can Help

Aug 13, 2012 by Ben

If  you reading this, you can help.

If you are reading this that means you have internet access and can help.

You are probably reading this on your computer, which means you can help.

It’s time to help.

Kiva, is an amazing organization that users micro-lending to help others around the world.  Here is how they describe themselves.

We are a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world.

So instead of just giving your money to a worthy cause (not a bad idea), you loan your money to entrepreneurs worldwide that could use a little help to grow or expand their local business.  Your money gets paid back and you then get to re-lend that money again to others.

I’ve been lending with Kiva for a couple years now and it is a great idea and a very worthwhile endeavor.  Right now Kiva is running a special offer for new members.  Sign up now and they will give you and me $25 dollars (for free) to lend out through their network.  You have nothing to lose here.  Try it out.  It’s time to help.

If you brushed your teeth this morning with running water, you can help.

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.

Previous TSA’s:

 

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With a little help from my friends

Aug 6, 2011 by Ben

We went camping last weekend with our friends up to Pismo Beach.  We love camping there,  playing on the beach and eating the worlds best clam chowder in a bread bowl at Splash’s Cafe.

This year the main campground was full so we decided to camp at Oceano Dunes which is just a few miles south of Pismo and you actually get to camp on the beach.  Right on the sand.  Its the only park in California where you can actually drive on the beach.  So since we just got a jeep, we packed it up and drove through some wonderful Friday LA traffic (note to self, don’t ever do that again) and went camping.

We of course got there very late and it was dark and we’d never been there before and had no idea what we were doing.  But it was awesome.

Now having our bad ass jeep (really just a regular jeep) we thought we would of course be able to drive over anything that came before us.  I think it took me all of about 3 minutes to get myself stuck in the sand.  I eventually got myself out and got myself stuck many more times.

Quite a few people got stuck in the sand.  We camped up on a sand dune and near an access trail where we were able to see EVERYONE that tried to drive up this hill get stuck.  It was quite entertaining.

One particular truck was pulling a large trailer as many out there did.  It was stuck getting up the hill so another large truck showed up to help pull him up.  Then they both got stuck.  So a third truck came to help the second truck who was helping the first truck.  Then they go stuck.  Then a fourth truck came to help the third truck who was helping the second truck, who was pulling the first truck with the trailer.

This was just so much fun to watch.

Then they decided to unload the trailer and pulled out all the 4-wheelers and ATVS etc.  We were hoping they would hook all of those up in a sleigh-like fashion to help pull all the trucks out, but they did not.

Slowly but surely all of the trucks made it up the hill except for the trailer.  They finally decided to just unhook that and leave it at the bottom of the hill.

But it was fun seeing people get stuck and it was nice to see all of the people helping others get unstuck.  There was a HUGE tow truck that would drive around and just park near the action and watch the stuck vehicles and then watch them get pulled out ready to help (and get paid) whenever they needed it.  But I never saw the tow truck in use.

Everyone helped everyone else get unstuck.  Two of us in the group had Jeeps and one had a Lexus which did have 4 wheel drive.  The Lexus struggled at first, but  we were able, with some pushing and cajoling, to get it up the hill as well.

Everyone helped.  And that’s the point.

Helping your friend when they are stuck is what we should be doing.  One of my best friends just moved down to California and we helped him unpack his moving truck.  He’s a math teacher so you know that truck was packed with no square inch left unfilled.  A few friends came over and we unloaded the entire truck in a couple hours and it was great.

Go help a friend today.  Or if you need some help, call a friend up.  That’s what they are there for.

Ben…

I’d also like to help.  What are you struggling with that you could use some help with right now.  Leave a comment or shoot me and email and let me know.

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