#434: Umuganda (Friday, April 24)

Umuganda: coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome.

In Rwanda, there is a mandatory community service day from 8:00am to 11:00am, on the last Saturday of each month called Umuganda meaning community service. The day is called umunsi w’umuganda, meaning “contribution made by the community", which is designed to be a day of contribution and building the country by citizens themselves. By law all able bodied persons above the age of 18 and below 65 are expected to participate in volunteer community work. The start of this practice goes back to colonial times and is still practiced today.

Be awesome to someone: Do something kind for someone without telling them you're going to do it, without expecting anything in return, and without promoting that you've done it - just quietly and without any fanfare.

#433: Get Off Facebook (Friday, April 17)

Facebook is great for reconnecting, but sometimes it can make one lazy and complacent. You see friends' status updates and assume you kno what's going on in their lives; or that liking a post means that you've checked in. It's easy to slowly let these Facebook connections take the place of real personal connections.

Be awesome, get off Facebook and have real conversations with your friends.

#432: How to Save A Life (Friday, April 10)

Do you have someone close to you who meets one of these criteria?

• Works too hard
• Has a family history of health issues or has told you about a previous health issue
• Doesn't seem to be themselves lately

If so, insist that they see a doctor and get them there by any means necessary. Here are some ways:

• Make an appointment for them
• Tell them they can "gift" you a doctor's visit for your birthday or upcoming holiday
• Refuse to see them until they've seen a doctor

Being awesome can possibly save a life.

#431: Guidance (Friday, April 3)

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."


You never forget a great teacher. They open up possibilities to you that you thought were once closed.   I remember when I thought I couldn't cook and a friend literally talked me through my first meals living on my own. If it hadn't been for her I would probably still be eating Chinese food, Ramen noodles and tuna fish.

With her guidance, I built up my confidence to experiment with making meals on my own. Now I'm a great cook. ;)

The next time someone asks you for a favor, why not spend some time and walk them through it instead?