Last year, while I was going through some intense health struggles (broken leg, surgery, crutches, yada yada) I found a necklace that a friend had given to me several months earlier.
I had tossed the necklace into my jewelry box and I'd mostly forgotten about it. But that day, I noticed
it.
It's a simple metal chain with a tiny barbell charm on it—like a barbell weight that you would lift at the gym.
I put on the necklace. I looked in the mirror. I felt pretty badass. I went to physical therapy later that day and felt hopeful for the first time in weeks.
That necklace became my little good luck charm, reminding me that I'm stronger than I think, and that I can get through whatever life hurls my way.
The necklace isn't big, flashy, or expensive. The charm is literally the size of a pencil eraser. All things considered, it was a fairly "tiny" gift. But that little token meant so much to me.
Every time I snapped on that necklace, I felt uplifted, and it helped me to get through one of the most challenging chapters of my life.
We live in a world that glorifies "big" achievements. We celebrate the top-sellers, the record-breakers, and whoever has the biggest pool of blood, sweat and tears. Do I feel inspired when I witness a big
achievement? Totally! I absolutely do. I love watching the Olympics, the Oscars, and the Tony Awards just as much as anybody else.
But let's not forget that "tiny" expressions of creativity, love, and generosity can have a life-altering type of impact, too.
A 500-page book can transform someone's day, but so can a sincere compliment scribbled onto the back of a receipt. A multi-part video experience can motivate someone to overcome a personal challenge, but so can a phone call from you at just the right moment.
It’s not the “size” of your gift, gesture, or project that makes it powerful.
It’s the love you pour into it.
In honor of tiny amazingness, here are 5 "tiny writing projects" that all take 20 minutes or less to complete. Get some paper, a pen, a computer, and a timer. That's all you need.
Enjoy!
1. THE “SIX MINUTE FAN LETTER.”
Set a timer for six minutes. Write a fan letter (or fan email) to someone you admire.
Say something like:
“I love your work because ______. My favorite thing you’ve ever created is ______. You inspire me to ______ and I wanted to thank you for ______. This is purely a fan letter. No response required.”
Finish it. Send it. Know that you’ve just created a positive ripple in someone else’s day.
2. THE “LOCAL HERO” LOVE NOTE.
Set a timer for ten minutes. Write a gratitude letter to someone in your community who is just flat out awesome. A bartender. A grocery bagger. Your yoga teacher.
Say something
like:
“I’m so glad you’re my neighbor because ______. I can always count on you to ______. I always notice when you ______ and I appreciate it so much. You make my day better every time you ______. Thank you for being ______.”
Finish it. Tuck it into an envelope. Deliver it. They will never forget it.
3. THE “DINNER PARTY” SURPRISE.
Set a timer for twenty minutes. Jot down the names of a few people that you would love to invite to dinner (real people or, if you want to make this a fiction-writing exercise, imaginary people). Write a dinner party invitation.
Say something like:
“I miss you. I want to catch up, face to face, without our cellphones, just sharing an evening together. So I’m throwing a dinner party! I will make ______. You can bring ______. We’ll talk about ______ and sip ______ and it will be ______. It’s happening on [date] at [time] at [location]. I can’t wait. I hope you will
come.”
Send out your invite. Enjoy your beautiful night!
4. THE “NO EXPECTATIONS” MEDIA PITCH.
Set a timer for ten minutes. Jot down the name of a blogger, journalist, producer, radio host, or podcaster that you love. Write an email to that person.
In your email, mention an idea for something you’d like to see them discuss, write about, or create in the future.
Say something
like:
“I love your work and I especially enjoyed your recent ______ which inspired me to ______. I’ve got an idea for you: have you ever considered doing a [piece / episode / talk / program / article] on [topic]? I bet your fans would love that. I know I would! Just wanted to toss that idea your way. I look forward to your next ______!”
Send off your email. Release all expectations of getting a response. Just send it.
Maybe you’ll hear back. Maybe you won’t. Maybe this will be the beginning of a wonderful friendship or professional relationship or even an invitation for you to get featured in the media. Maybe not.
Don’t worry about the end-game. Just send it. Give someone a cool idea and leave it at that.
5. THE “FAMILY RECIPE” BOOK.
Set a timer for fifteen minutes. Write down the recipe for your favorite “family meal” or
“childhood snack,” no matter how silly or simple it is.
Add a little “intro story” about why you love it so much, who made this recipe first, or the memories it brings up for you.
Paste your recipe and story into an email. Send it to your family—or people who feel like “family” to you. They'll love
it.
You’re done! But if you want to take this project further, you could…
Invite everyone in your family to contribute a beloved recipe of their own. Say, “Email your favorite family recipes and stories to me.”
Collect recipes from everyone. Print it out. Staple it together or put it inside a fancy binder. Done! Now you have a cookbook of family stories, memories, and meals to recreate and remember forever.
You don't necessarily need special tools, mastery-level skills, or hundreds of hours of "free time" in order to create something meaningful—something
that will be treasured for years to come.
Your work doesn't have to be "perfect" either. A love letter with a typo is still a love letter. A recipe with a stain on it or the “wrong” font will still delight your grandkids in forty years.
Love is love. Tiny is big.