This post was originally written for The Moment HQ, which you should absolutely explore for an inspiration fix.

If you’re anything like me, you think big. 

But sometimes, thinking big (or, more specifically, trying to lead a deeply rewarding life brimming with love and creativity while casually saving the world) comes at a cost. 

Big overwhelm. Big despair. Big inaction. 

What can one person do?

How can little old me make a dent in this wacky, plastic-riddled planet?

Collapse in heap. Eat cheese. 

But the thing is, there are ways you can steer the world in a different direction - without having to head-up a reforestation not-for-profit run by dispossessed orangutans.

The tiniest positive actions can produce the mightiest ripple effects, and by thinking small and acting locally, we collectively do epic shit. Don’t believe me? Here are eight suspiciously easy and powerfully effective actions you can take today.

Smile more

Has a stranger ever smiled at you so sincerely, so sweetly, that whatever stormy mindset you were inhabiting simply… dissipates? Indiscriminate smiling disrupts despair and inspires people on the receiving end to have a little more faith in humanity, and a touch more optimism about the state of the world. Compassion is contagious. And kind, happy people are less inclined to pillage the planet. 

Lend a brother, sister, stranger a hand

The more we engender community and connectedness, the less messed-up and lonely we’ll feel. And the less lonely we feel, the less we’ll need to shop for endangered primate pantaloons and plastic wrapped beauty products to make us ‘lovable’. People you help pay it forward, and the World Kindness Index goes gangbusters. This can be as simple as holding a door open for someone, or as structured as weekly volunteering. 

Look at things and say WOOOOOAAAAAAH!

Woah! That’s an epic mountain. Woah! What a beautiful bird. Woah! Is that technicolor sky-arc even real? Marvelling at the natural world reminds us that it’s sacred, and sacred things are worth protecting. 

Work less

If it weren’t for the money, would you still do your job? Perhaps not. But money is essential for survival, and maybe even accumulating a little wealth. Ain’t it? Depends on your personal pocket dictionary. If you define ‘survival’ as a big house, two cars, gadgets and exotic getaways, that’ll cost you a pile of coins. If you see ‘wealth’ as an ever-increasing number in the bank, that’ll rely on well-paid, likely laborious work.

But what if your definition of survival was simpler and more frugal, less reliant on loans and long hours in the office? What if your definition of wealth was living in a supportive community, connected with family and friends, enjoying ample time to indulge your creativity and inspiration? What if generosity, goodwill, homegrown veggies and hand-me-down jumpers constituted your version of success? What if you worked less, while growing richer in time - pursuing a way of life that didn’t cost quite so much or look quite so flash, but afforded you a joy and prosperity no credit card ever could?

Yep, it’s tough. Our (western) world spins on money. But if we all took a couple of steps back from The Machine, maybe it would get crusty, rusty and eventually grind to a halt. Then the plants, insects and furry things will reclaim the world while we cheers to our early retirement and celebrate everything money can’t buy.

Have a yarn with an oldie

Not only are older folks fabulously wise, they also remember a time when less was more, life was slower, and people took care of their shoes. There’s so much to learn from our elders. Sit down and listen, kid.

TEnd to your insides

If there are things eating you up; poor body image, perfectionism, self loathing, guilt, shame or fear... get to work. Healing yourself is an act of defiance and an instrument of change. Healing yourself frees up your time and energy in the long run, so you can focus on having a wildly enjoyable life while being of service. Healing yourself is role modelling, inspiring others to do the same. Healing yourself, with a view to being a happier, healthier, more loving human isn’t selfish - it’s step one towards a better world.

eggs on toast

No one gets far on an empty stomach. Clarity, purpose and better decision making starts with balanced blood sugars and a sizeable breakfast. Eat up. 

That concludes today’s seminar in small, unassuming actions that slowly, ever so gently, steer civilisation in a healthier direction. Have more ideas? Share ‘em.

My mate runs a crêpe stall at one of the most famous weekend markets in the world.

She’s French, and whips piping hot and tender skins off the skillet, oozing chocolate, lemon curd, ham, eggs and cheese while maintaining perfect hair.

The other day, she asked me to take over for three months while she took off around Australia.

Sure thing, I said. Looks easy enough.

Bless my ignorance.

Making crepes sent me back to kindergarten and spanked my derriere. Hard.

Who knew these simple street snacks were so tricky?

Before trying it myself, I never appreciated the skill required to ladle batter onto an edgeless surface hotter than the face of the sun, whirl that batter into a wafer-thin circle using a quaint wooden paddle (without tears, breaks or lumps, mind you) then perform pancake puppetry with a metal spatula to manoeuvre and fill the damn thing with runny condiments, and plate it up for a hungry punter - all in under 60 seconds.

My first 103 practise crepes were homages to Hannibal. After that, things started to click.

You’ll be pleased to know that by midday of my first Saturday market, I was able to smile at the customers and exchange weak banter while preparing their treats. One small girl even said “PHWOOOAR! You must’ve been doing that for years!” in response to my wrist action. Thanks, my little cabbage. I haven’t.

A few good things came of my uncomfortable ascension to crepe-making mediocrity.

One, I ate a lot of free crepes. Ditto my dog. Ditto my man.

Two, I dropped a grenade in my comfort zone, experiencing a spectrum of humbling emotions from utter incompetence to frustration, appreciation for the skills of others, to finally, pride in my own perseverance.

Lastly, I was reminded of a valuable marketing lesson.

When you’ve been running a business for a while, it’s easy to take your product or service for granted. To be blinded by your own expertise, and stop thinking what you do is extraordinary.

As a result, many businesspeople hesitate to share their process, because to them it’s second nature. Old hat. Boring.

But you must - must! - make a fuss of what you do.

With fresh eyes (and flummoxed hands), I saw the magic in my friend’s deceptively simple service - and decided to share it.

I told every customer, “Mon Dieu! This is so much harder than it looks!”, describing how the batter is prepared according to French tradition, how my friend went to elite-level crepe college to hone her craft, and all the tiny, authentic touches that make these morsels a true Parisian treat.

The crepes were received and eaten with relish.

This ‘inside info’ about your product or service is what gets people excited.

These tidbits can be used to differentiate your business - online and in person.

These facts may feel mundane to you as practitioner, but to your customers, are nothing short of miraculous.

Perhaps you go to great lengths to source top quality ingredients; maybe you studied under a master practitioner with a crazy teaching method; it could be that you spend countless hours preparing for each client, personalising their treatment or session.

Share it.

Weave that delicious detail into your social media posts, use it as blog fodder, pitch it as a story to magazines and do interviews - sharing your process not with pomposity, but with true enthusiasm.

And soon, you’ll be all le rage.

How does a worm feel when it’s dredged from its damp, dark premises and into the sun?

Quite a few unfortunate invertebrates found out yesterday as I prepared a garden bed for my Ma, digging out the last of the spinach to make way for broad beans.

While I tugged at grass tufts and excavated dandelion, worm folk were hauled up on roots and clods of earth, experiencing sunshine (for the first time?) on their tender little torsos. Must have been a shock, poor buggers.

Their discomfort wasn’t for nought, as they inspired this post.

I wondered, who’d expect a blog about earthworms? No one. Yet, here you are reading, anthropomorphising, and holding out for a copywriting insight.

And the lesson? Be unexpected.

If everyone in your industry is writing the same old posts, in the same old tone, and the same old story, wriggle in the opposite direction.

Find a new angle. Tell an original tale. Start your post with a paragraph that’s so deliciously bizarre, curious eyeballs have no choice but to keep reading.

Whether it’s worms or something weird you saw in the crisper, weave the unexpected into your content and watch engagement soar.

Take it out. It’s shameless.

This was one of my oldest clients, suggesting I remove the cheesy call-to-action at the end of a recent article. And I couldn’t have been happier to oblige, since overt selling usually makes me squirm.

Usually. But for once I’d second guessed my disdain for telling readers what to do (‘book now!’, ‘don’t delay!’, ‘appointments limited!’) and thought maybe I should get with the times and wrap up the blog post with a pitch. Something that segued from the ideas presented in the post to the hard sell.

After all, aren’t marketers told to state the obvious? Aren’t we reminded to hit consumers over the head with their own shortcomings, then present the solution? Doesn’t every piece of content have to pull its own weight and sell?

I’ve always questioned this approach.

In an age of bullshit awareness, most people know when you’re trying to manipulate them. Or trying too hard at all. If you’ve ever seen someone get wasabi in their eye, you’ll know the kind of face readers pull when the article they were just reading suddenly turns into a self-promotion show.

In truth, if someone’s reading something they like, they’ll seek out who wrote it.

If someone vibes with a post on Facebook, they’ll stalk the shit out of that business.

If you’re an expert showing your expertise, in one way or another, enchanted readers/listeners/viewers will hunt you down. And they will book.

I momentarily misstepped in my ‘defy idiotic marketing’ march, but have my client - a practitioner of great integrity - to thank for nudging me back into line.

You’re welcome to join the parade.