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.

There’s a fun game I like to play called: Make Me Obsolete!

The aim is to convince potential clients that they don’t need me; they’ve got this; to save their pennies and put them towards a new beer fridge, gold-plated paper clips, etc.

Why would I do that? Do I need therapy, a business coach, a pep talk, a lesson in economics? Yes and no.

What a copywriter shouldn’t say

I Do Words - but that doesn’t mean I need to Do Words for everyone.

Some businesses (or, the people behind the businesses) are perfectly capable of penning their own charismatic copy. Some businesses are innately personal, benefiting from copy that’s homespun and heartfelt. Some businesses are determined to hire a copywriter when they’d be better served by a new website, logo, or identity.

There’s a time and place for professional copy, and there’s a time to play Make Me Obsolete!

If you’re currently wearing a quizzical expression, here are a few examples.

My friend runs a crêpe stall. She wrote her whole damn website, and it’s sweeter than kittens chasing piglets chasing hedgehogs. You can tell it’s DIY; you can appreciate that she’s a small biz; you can hardly wait to get your mitts on her wares. A copywriter couldn’t have made it more charming if they tried.

An old client got in touch about revamping a construction capability statement. I took one look and knew words weren’t the issue: design was. Enter my good mate Kate - creative shaman - who made the documents look 22 million bucks (which is lucky, as that was the sum at stake).

When I’m approached about writing social media copy, I hesitate. Unless you’re a university, law firm or right wing pollie peddling poetic nonsense, chances are you don’t need posh copy for every socials post. In fact, live updates from the source (you or your staff) are far, far more engaging than anything I can concoct from my chair in Tassie - even if they contain a few typos.

Professional copywriting can revolutionise your business. But sometimes, DIY is just as effective.

Here are six questions to help you figure out whether or not you need to cough up for copy.

What do people want (and expect) from you?

If you’re in the business of “serious stuff” - high-stakes financial manoeuvres, mental health, medicine, human rights… better invest in professional writing to preserve trust and confidence in your brand. A grammatical faux pas can derail your credibility in an instant.

On the other hand, if your product or service is more casual (but no less important) - food, fashion, lifestyle, fitness, pet portraiture - creating your own copy can be a great option.

Does your website a) work and b) bear absolutely no resemblance to this?

If your online shop front could use a lick of paint, prioritise it. Hiring a copywriter to populate pages that repel people wastes everybody’s time.

If you can afford it, get design and copy working together to action an Extreme Website Makeover that’ll have everyone weeping and hugging during the Big Reveal.

Are you a decent writer, or a keyboard wreck?

If you’re a confident communicator, go ahead and write.

If you passed your HSC English exam by one lucky point awarded for correctly identifying yourself at the top of the page, maybe copywriting isn’t your calling after all.

Do you have time?

Yep or nup.

Are you willing to obey the Rules of Considerate Copy?

Try not to waffle. Make it relevant to your reader. Ditch the jargon. Use contractions. Be original. And for the love of Dickens, PROOFREAD.

Do you want to?

And finally, it boils down to desire. If you don’t want to write your website/bio/flyer/tagline/blog/book, palm it off. Hire me for an exorbitant fee because you’d rather be playing polo. Or hire me for a reasonable fee and throw in a polo lesson. I love ponies.

It’s not every day I get the chance to play Make Me Obsolete!.

Some days I feel downright useful.

But I’m here to remind you that, when it comes to copy, you have options.

Write some yourself, outsource the high-stakes stuff.

Write everything yourself, see if it converts.

Do your socials, get help with blogs.

Understand your audience’s expectations, your brand identity, your personal strengths and your time limitations, and use that intel to decide if a copywriter is just the person to inject fresh energy and expertise into your business… or currently unnecessary.

And with that, it’s back to the game.

Your move.

We know about intuitive eating. It’s when you trust your body to tell you what food it wants, when.

We know about intuitive dating. It’s when you heed the thumbs-down emoji hovering over the head of the babbling madman who asked you to dinner, and politely decline dessert.

But intuitive editing? What’s that?

It’s when you read over what you’ve written and listen for the fizz, the crackle, the zing.

It’s when you scrap what doesn’t sizzle on the page like a hanger steak.

It’s when you edit by feel, not by formula.

Intuitive editing can help you tighten your writing, punch-ify your copy, and cut to the chase - instinctively.

And why is that important? A few different reasons.

If you’re workshopping a tagline, a bio or anything short and high-stakes, it requires charisma. It should sing and entertain and move readers like a regular Sammy Davis Jr.

If you’re writing a blog or an article, intuitive editing can help you shape the text into a thing of coherence and beauty - beyond the first-draft thicket.

Editing is a vital step in any creative process. Intuitive editing allows you to feel what to keep and what to cut.

I put it into practice just a moment ago.

After struggling for over an hour with a blog intro that sounded flat and forced, I moved my cursor down three paragraphs, started reading, and realised there, there was the place to start. Three paragraphs after my intended beginning!

How did I know? I could hear the writing change from trying-hard to ringing true. All I needed to do was listen (then bravely kill my darlings).

Ask yourself: does this sentence sizzle... or stink?

Keep practising. Make backspace your bestie. Trust your instincts.

You know when something’s good to eat.

You know when someone’s good to date.

And you know when something’s good to publish.

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.