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Be The Change

Launch gallery slideshow

Swap Coordinator:AshleyShea (contact)
Swap categories: Challenges  Miscellaneous  Letters & Writing 
Number of people in swap:7
Location:Other
Type:None
Last day to signup/drop:March 30, 2007
Date items must be sent by:April 7, 2007
Number of swap partners:1
Description:

UPDATE: Deadline change.

I just realized that even though sign ups for this swap close on Friday, you won't get the name of the person you are matched with until sometime on Saturday. That give you only Monday or Tuesday to mail out your letter. One of our members isn't going to be home those days and it is a very short turn around. I've changed the deadline so that you have until next Saturday, April 7, to send out your letter.

I'm really looking forward to this as I know all of you are, too. What an exciting adventure to embark on! ;-)


Many of us are familiar with Gandhi's quote:

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world."

Sometimes it is hard to put this into action. We may say we want world peace (myself included), and we still cut people off in traffic, push through crowds, talk badly about others, etc. We put these negative energies into the world, they collide with others' negative energies and build. Those negative energies have to go somewhere or be dispelled with positive energies.

What change would you like to see in the world?

Would you like to see less violence? What small thing can you do to put less violence, aggression, negativeness out into the world? Look at the violence you allow into your own world. What television shows do you watch? Do you encourage people to "don't get mad, get even?"

Would you like to see less child abuse? What small thing can you do to honor children and support parents? Do you speak badly about children you see in public? Do you scowl or smile? Do you add to or relieve the pressure parents feel? Could you give a parent a night off and watch their children?

Would you like to see less discrimination? What small thing can you do to honor and respect everyone you meet, no matter in what way they are different from you? Do you notice the elderly or handicapped on public transportation? Do you hold open doors, offer seats? Do you join in with others at the office making fun of another employee for the way they look, dress, act, whatever?

This swap is about making a commitment to making a change -- a change you want to see in the world. They say it takes 6-8 weeks for a change to become permanent, so this swap will last for 6 weeks. During this time, you will:

  1. Decide on a change you'd like to see in the world and choose a small action(s) you will take to be that change.
  2. Write a letter that describes the change you want to see and the action(s) you commit to taking over the 6 weeks. This is your commitment letter. Putting your action(s) into words will help you define more clearly exactly what you want to do. Seeing your words on paper will help you hold to your commitment.
  3. If possible, make a copy of your letter so you can remember over the 6 weeks exactly what you committed to.
  4. Mail your letter to your partner by Tuesday, April 3rd and begin being the change.
  5. E-mail your partner once a week by the Saturday of that week (April 7, 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12). Let your partner know what actions you took. Talk about your successes and failures and how you might approach the next week differently. Even if you didn't do anything that week, e-mail your partner and let him/her know. Just doing that will help motivate you do be the change the next week.
  6. You will be receiving e-mails from the person who sent you their commitment letter. Please respond supportively.

Between the two people you will be in contact with over 6 weeks, it is likely that a friendship will develop -- a friendship based on supporting each other in making change. How awesome is that!?

This swap is set up so that you have until March 30 to sign up. Just 4 days later, your letter has to be in the mail. If by the time Swap-bot tells you that this swap is about to start you think that you don't have the time to make this kind of commitment, please drop from the swap. Allow your prospective partner the opportunity to be matched up with someone who will provide support and motivation.

Because the send date is set for April 3rd, the opportunity to rate your partner will come up before we are finished with the 6 weeks. If, at that time, you haven't received a letter and/or e-mails, I encourage you to rate your partner with a 1. The rating can always change if some odd circumstance happened with the letter and/or e-mails.

I am serious about the ratings because this swap doesn't require much but a bit of your time. I want every member of the swap to be able to have the support they need to be successful. Honestly, we could all do this on our own. The power here is the network of support. Doing this together will help us all make the change.

Life is about the journey. Are you ready to join us on a 6-week adventurous journey?

P.S. If you would like even more support, I have organized a snail-mail round robin on Gather at http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976923481 Stop by and take a look.

Discussion

PostMuse 03/10/2007 #

I love this idea. It is going to be a true challenge, but what a fantastic way to motivate people to be the change. The Gandhi quote is one of my favorites.

I read your article at Gather and that project also sounds wonderful, but I'm not good with robins, so I will sit that one out. I was wondering if you might add a paragraph about the project here on Swap-Bot, though. It might get a few people who don't know about this site to join in.

AshleyShea 03/10/2007 #

Hi, PostMuse, Bridget, and Mrs. Q! Thanks for joining this swap. With the 6-week commitment, I wondered if anyone would be interested. I'm glad to see that there is interest.

PostMuse, I plan on writing a new article for Gather letting people know about this swap, so that maybe we'll get a few people from there to join us.

PostMuse 03/11/2007 #

My letter is almost done. I will want to revise it a few times, and I want to make a public version to post in my blog, and maybe send to some politicians who need their eyes opened.

Can't thank you enough for starting this challenge.

AshleyShea 03/11/2007 #

Wow! That's an amazing idea, PostMuse -- to send your letter to politicians. I'm sure it will open some eyes.

I don't know if it would be appropriate, but maybe you could also send it to the editors of some newspapers or other publications. Just a thought.

My letter won't be appropriate for newspapers or politicians. I don't think. But, who knows, I could get inspired and write a manifesto! ;-)

groovyholly 03/11/2007 #

This is great! I tried to read your article, but I couldn't. I've been thinking of some things I can do for a while now and this will help me actually move into action. Great idea for a swap!

AshleyShea 03/11/2007 #

Hi, Groovy! Welcome to the swap.

Thanks for letting me know that the link didn't work. I found out that I didn't need the slash at the end of the URL. So, try it again if you want. You should be able to get to it.

TexasQuilter1 03/26/2007 #

Hi everybody! I signed up for this swap and I'm really looking forward to it! I also checked out the link to the round robin letter and I think that sounds so amazing! I would love to join in on that one too, but there didn't seem to be a way to join up. Does anybody know how to join that? Thanks!

PostMuse 03/27/2007 #

I am not sure how one goes about joining the Gather round robin, but I suspect you need to be a member of Gather.com and make a post to the article with your desire to join.

This afternoon I created a blog that I am offering up for anyone else here to join if they want to journal their change. The blog is titled "We Will Be The Change," and the url is http://wewillbethechange.blogspot.com/

Message me through Swap-Bot if you would like to join.

AshleyShea 03/27/2007 #

I'm so glad to find others excited about this swap. I have been working on my initial letter and am having a hard time narrowing down my choice to one thing to do to be the change. I know if I load myself up with more than one major thing, I won't do it. Though, I do want to make it a challenge for myself. Choices...choices.. I just have to decide which one I want to tackle now, and which one I'll wait till later to work on.

TexasQuilter, I'm sorry I haven't responded to your message. You are welcome to join the snail mail Round Robin. You don't have to be a member of Gather. I am going to get it organized soon. Right now I am out of town -- my father passed away last week and we just had his funeral yesterday. By next week I'll be back home and ready to get things going.

PostMuse, thank you so much for your enthusiasm! You are amazing and an inspiration! I can't wait to check out your blog next week. It will be great to be a part of a community of people dedicated to making positive changes. Too cool!

AshleyShea 03/30/2007 #

We have a theme song!! I just discovered that James Twyman has written a song titled "Be the Change." You can listen to it on his website. So...now we have a theme song! ;-)

http://www.emissaryoflight.com/

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