22 Things

Sometimes life seems way too BIG. Sometimes we feel stuck, wishing we could change things, but not knowing how to start. We've all been there, all said things like:

If only... I wish... Some day I'll...

It's so easy to get mired down with every day life. With the I Want It NOW mentality that our society seems to have embraced, it's frustrating when we know what we want, but we are too impatient to wait. Too scared and overwhelmed to take the first step.

I'm speaking from experience here people. Impatience has caused a great deal of stress in my life. I've been spending years trying to run without learning first how to walk. Hell, even before I've learned to crawl. I want to change my life, but I'm paralyzed by the daunting task ahead. 

It was in the midst of this internal struggle that 22 Things was born. Call them baby steps, call them what you like, but in essence it's about focusing on what we can do, not what we can't. So that's just what I did. I made a list of things I can do right now. When a bunch of small changes are combined, they lead to BIG things and BIG changes!

How Does It Work? 
22 Things is a Creative Change Challenge. By signing up, you are announcing to the world - and more importantly yourself - that you are breaking free of the long standing idea that in order to make changes in your life, you have to do BIG things. 22 Things is about making a list twenty-two small steps you can take - right now - to change your life.

How Do I Join?
Easy!

First, sign up using the handy Mr. Linky's Magical Widget at the bottom of this post. Include your blog URL so we can all visit your site. This is all about sharing and inspiring others.

Second, make a list of 22 small things you can do right now. Forget the BIG stuff. Don't worry if you don't have a theme in mind, in fact it's probably better if you don't! Let your intuition dictate what's important to you.

What's Next?
So you've signed up, great! You've got your list, awesome! Now what? Well, three things:

1. Grab the lovely badge for your blog, because BLING makes everything better!

2. Follow my blog for updates on 22 Things.

3. Blog about your experience. I encourage you to blog at least once a month on your small step journey. Each month I will post a theme. Yes, yes I know. I just finished saying forget a theme, forget the BIG stuff and I mean that. BUT, I strongly believe that we need to re-evaluate our lists from time to time. As we accomplish an item, we can replace it with a new item. Life is not static, therefore are lists shouldn't be either. The general themes will help spark ideas. Use them, or not, it's your choice.

Grab this badge for your blog

Below is my list of 22 Things. Notice that they're small things. Instead of listing 'get published' I wrote 'keep writing'. Maybe next month I'll add 'enter a contest'.

1. Register for a university course
2. Buy art supplies and play!
3. Keep writing
4. Keep editing
5. Look for workshops and lectures on topics that interest me.
6. Network.
7. Read more.
8. Have fun.
9. Be self aware and mindful of the world around me.
10. Talk to my supportive friends and family.
11. Enjoy the time I have and be positive.
12. Have faith in the Universe.
13. Sing and dance for no reason.
14. Blog about my journey.
15. Listen and learn more.
16. Have patience and meditate.
17. Take risks to boost confidence.
18. Accept and allow myself to make mistakes.
19. Realize life is all about the journey. It's not a race to the finish.
20. Remember it's never too late to change things.
21. Remember there is always hope. 
22. Try new things without fear.

My hope is that this challenge will inspire you to take those first steps. To overcome that sense of fear and apprehension. Have fun, be creative, share and inspire others and check in with yourself often. Remember it's all about the small things here!

Special thanks to Benji Todd for his amazing artwork for the badge!