Read the news and see how easy it is to lose your sense of happiness. Within 3 or 4 headlines, you'll be furrowing your brow and wondering "what's gonna be with this world?"
Think about the anxiety that terrorism causes (9/11, The Maryland Car-Trunk Sniper, serial killers) and see how easy it is for evil people to destroy the joy of life.
What is the antidote? Is there a cure? And why is God making it so hard to "live the good life?"
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We don't know what's on God's agenda, but we can safely say God would like us all to be "Good-niks". To live in a way that enhances humanity and makes our planet a pleasant place to be. God wants us to be partners with Him in improving the human condition. |
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As He keeps this world going, we are supposed to fill this world with good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. And if we increase worldly civility, our sages say, we are actually able to decrease forces of sadness, discord, and evil worldwide.
| Whatever good thoughts, words and actions you did previously, now do them 1% better, with 1% more focus, and 1% more care. |  |
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Let's get started:
Call it "The 1% Solution". Whatever good thoughts, words and actions you did previously, now do them 1% better, with 1% more focus, and 1% more care.
If you try for 2% you'll make yourself crazy wondering if you ever reached it. But, one percent is manageable, and your success is assured.
The effectivness of this 1% Solution is based on a spiritual "mechanism" that God put in the world: Whenever a human does actions which position him as more of a "giver" than a "taker", during those moments he more closely resembles God, who is the Ultimate Giver. And the more the earthy population practices goodness the more evil is pushed aside.
So, Design ways to bestow good upon other people:
- Add 1% more dedication to the ones you love.
- Add 1% more love to your family and friends.
- Add 1% more happiness & sincerity when you see a friend.
- Add 1% more interest and effort at your job.
- Add 1% more interest in everything you do.
- Add 1% more excitement when you do something great.
- Add 1% more fascination at the world around you.
And this all costs you nothing - except 1%. It's not as if you're taking on some huge project.
Rather, whatever you do, add just a little bit more. And God sees your actions, understands your good motives (He can do that - He is God after all) and counts it as a human success story. You're an instant hero.
So, explore ways of giving to others around you: Find something nice to say to someone. Now do it with 1% more sincerity. You've just created a happy person.
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Explore ways to make your world work more smoothly: Wash the coffee cups others leave behind - and know you're making things just that much nicer for your co-workers. Tidy up. Put things away. And all the time have in mind you're doing it to be a "Good-nik". |
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| You are able to make a difference, 1% at a time. You are part of a grassroots revolution of sanity and values. | |
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The 1% solution makes your life more interesting - now you can truly fortify humanity and help battle evil. The only thing required is that you remember to do it. That you remember you are able to make a difference 1% at a time. You're part of a grassroots revolution of sanity and values.
The 1% solution is how we can offset the evil Osama and Saddam-types who want to destroy the civility and joy of life that humankind has worked so hard to polish and perfect throughout history. There has been too much sweat and effort invested throughout the ages of civilization to be destroyed by selfish people and terrorists who want to bring it all to ruins.
And who will fight the evil people of the world? Today, even governments with mighty armies seem powerless as they look for one or two terrorists in a population of thousands. There is no one left to rebuild the world except us. Rebuild your life by reorienting yourself as a "giver". As you improve your area of the world you create a spiritual flow - a wave in the spiritual pool. The solution to get rid of evil is a spiritual one and the spiritual wave begins with the little "splashes" each person makes in his own life.
This is one of the ways the Jewish nation is a light to all the other nations. When the Jewish people are on track, adding and improving their individual lives, it makes a collective wave and slowly but surely improves the lot of all humanity.
So the answer isn't to "live the good life", rather to "Give the Good Life" by positioning yourself as a Giver and less of a Taker.
You're invited to dive deep into the spiritual pool and the 1% Solution is how you can make big, big waves.
