Go slow to go fast and the first TIP

1/4/11

It is my first blog entry that I am actually writing in the present, in the right here and now. Perhaps I have finally "caught up" with my blog. We (the collective "we") spend so much of our lives trying to seemingly catch up with things. We run and run and run to catch up, and then when we feel further behind we run faster.

Over the years, I have found that most things in life are relatively simple. Fundamentally, if something is not working, you should try something else, and typically you should try something that is simpler. If running to catch up is not catching you up, then you should do something else. Maybe we should try stopping, or at least slowing down?

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I'd like to introduce a new aspect of Nomadism.... the TIP - The "Thought in Progress." Moving forward, as part of each of my blog entries (or at least many of them), I will throw out to the world an incomplete thought that is bouncing around in my mind. Some of these thoughts will be small, others will be large, or potentially large. I have two main goals in documenting these TIPs:

1. I will further process and advance these thoughts in my mind by writing them down.
2. I will generate discussion and feedback about these thoughts from others.

I will keep you updated on goal #1. In order to achieve goal #2, I clearly need your help; I am excited to get your comments and thoughts on these TIPs. Please comment directly on the blog, or feel free to email me directly.

And now, the very first Thought in Progress (TIP):

"Help a Friend"
Starting today, I am committing to intentionally doing something nice and out of the way for someone I know. There are people in the world doing incredible things for thousands of others; there are people in the world being of service in a large scale. However, for most of us, doing that is either overwhelmingly challenging or just simply not practical. Service and goodness does not need to be grand. Service and goodness can (and perhaps should) be small and local and towards people we know and love. If we do one (ok, maybe two) good and small and surprising things for someone we know each day.... well, just think about where we would all be. Think about a day when someone you know did one thing nice and unexpected for you; think about how it changed your day.... and so, tomorrow, change someone's day, someone you know.