One of the fantastic stories of the blogging world comes from Neil Pasricha who started the 1000 Awesome Things blog back in 2008. 

The simple premise behind this blog is an aim to post 1000 articles identifying some of the “Awesome” things that are all around us in life if we choose to notice them.  He’s just over halfway now and his success has recently led to a book being published entitled, “The Book of Awesome.”

According to his site, Neil was going through a particularly difficult time when he started his blog, but he has been able to bring a smile to many faces around the world through his delightfully optimistic perspective.

As a regular reader, what have I learned from 1000 Awesome Things?

Action is Awesome!  Neil had lost a friend through suicide and his marriage had broken up when he started this blog.  He could have been excused for wallowing in self-pity for a few weeks or months, but he chose to do something positive and started writing.  He had a specific aim (1000 posts) and this seemingly simple task has led to his blog winning multiple awards and now a book deal.

The reality of life is that sometimes things go wrong and we go through a difficult patch.  One of the most helpful methods of limiting the impacts of negative experiences is to take action.  Is there something that you could be doing that will give you some satisfaction, will make the world a better place and may lead to something bigger in the future? 

Perspective is Awesome!  Clearly, it takes a great perspective to write such a positive blog in the midst of personal pain, but I really appreciate the perspective that Neil has on such simple things as dentist visits, long plane flights and peeling the thin plastic film off new electronics.  Turning seemingly mundane, possibly even annoying things into something to feel good about is a great skill to have.  Sharing it with the world to help others with their views on life is even more refreshing.

For some people, the glass is half full, for others it’s cracked and leaking!  What sort of person are you going to choose to be?  One who takes the uninteresting, cynical view that life sucks and there are insurmountable problems all around, or someone who sees the delightful opportunities to smile at life’s challenges and make a contagiously positive contribution to others?

Humour is Awesome!  Despite the simplicity of Neil’s posts, there are many articles that bring a smile to my face.  He manages not just to put a positive spin on life, but to cleverly find something that many people can relate to and laugh about.

I don’t know how you feel, but there is something very special about having people around us who make us laugh.  This is especially true when it’s done without cynicism or derision.  Even in the lowest moments, try to surround yourself with people who make you laugh and almost force you into a happier mood.  There are some times in life that take a lot to recover from, but to have the deserts of pain broken up by little oases of laughter can make a big difference. 

I’m grateful to people like Neil who remind us that life can be awesome if we take action, have an optimistic perspective and laugh often.

Have an awesome day!

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