Paul's FREE Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 11,000+

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Courage is contagious. When a brave [person] takes a stand,
the spines of others are stiffened.
-Billy Graham, submitted by Pat J.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Hope has two beautiful daughters.
Their names are anger and courage;
anger at the way things are, and
courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.
-Augustine of Hippo, submitted by Tina H.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Oh, I hope you can dig deep this week and find some courage
to tackle a task or a dream or a conflict or a goal or SOMETHING
that is seeking help from your soul! Just remember that over 11,000
people are reading this and if each of us initiates a ripple
of courage, we will surely create a tidal wave of hope that could
carry us all right where we want to go!

Peace,
Paul
p.s. Better Blurb Draft ONE (your feedback is requested!):
The Ripples Project: reminding you that positive actions
create enduring ripples of inspiration and waves of kindness

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Ripples v6.32: Ripples of GIVING IT YOUR ALL!
Paul's FREE Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 11,000+

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Miracles start to happen when you give as much
energy to your dreams as you do to your fears.
-Richard Wilkins, submitted by Mary B.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Be daring, be different, be impractical;
be anything that will assert integrity of purpose
and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers,
the creatures of the commonplace,
the slaves of the ordinary.
-Cecil Beaton, submitted by Rich C.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

This week I found myself helping students in North Carolina
(UNCA), Indiana (Purdue), Wisconsin (UW-Madison), and
Michigan (CMU) gear up for another year. While I was
talking with different groups at each school (new students,
orientation leaders, & resident assistants) I encouraged
them all to create high expectations for themselves and
the possibilities of the upcoming year and then I told them to
GO FOR IT!

Let's all take a moment this week to think BIG, dream BIG,
feel BIG, and then GO BIG! You can do it, I just know you can!

Peace,
Paul
p.s. Many member submitted in some incredible "better blurbs!"
I'm sifting through them in between travels and plan to get
feedback on a handful of them! THANK YOU ALL!

***************************************************************************
Ripples: a FREE weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
archives: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/eRipples
store: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm
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Ripples v6.31: Ripples of A BETTER BLURB!
Paul's FREE Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 11,000+

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

The problem with not having a goal is you spend your
whole life running up and down the field and never scoring.
-source unknown, submitted by Rocky M., Blackfoot, ID

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Greatness is not in where we stand,
but in what direction we are moving.

We must sail sometimes with the wind,
and sometimes against it,
but sail we must,
and not drift or lie at anchor.
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

The quotes this week stress the importance of having
a clear sense of direction. Well, The Ripples Project
needs your help in clarifying WHO WE ARE and
WHAT WE DO!

A few years ago a handful of really cool people helped
define the original mission of The Ripples Project:
to inspire and reward small waves of kindness.
But in our new site this fall, we need a better blurb!
We need to find a short, snappy sentence or phrase
that quickly communicates who we are and what we're
trying to motivate people to do. So, how do you describe
The Ripples Project when you're telling someone about it?

We want a brief "blurb" that gets at the idea across
that small acts of kindness keep on going, AND that kind acts
come back to you! Whether you think of this as a mission,
a slogan, or a tagline, send your best blurb to
BetterBlurb@TheRipplesProject.org
mailto:BetterBlurb@TheRipplesProject.org
this week and we'll pick the best to get some more feedback.
The creator of the best "blurb" will get a mountain of
Ripples Goodies and our eternal gratitude.

Peace,
Paul

p.s. Last week was a slower week in sales, so help if you can!
We have now raised $5,600 of the $12,000 we need for
our new website….your purchase from the store helps us
get even closer to a quantum leap in creating ripples!
http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm

***************************************************************************
Ripples: a FREE weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
archives: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/eRipples
store: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm
subscribe FREE: blank email to Join@TheRipplesProject.org
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Ripples v6.30: Ripples of DOWNTIME!
Paul's FREE Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 11,000+

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

To do nothing at all is the most difficult thing in the world:
the most difficult and the most intellectual.
-Oscar Wilde, submitted by Sarah C., Roseville, MN

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Downtime is where we become ourselves;
looking into the middle distance,
kicking at the curb,
lying on the grass or
sitting on the stoop and staring
at the tedious blue of the summer sky.

I don't believe you can
write poetry,
or compose music,
or become an actor
without downtime,
and plenty of it;

A hiatus that passes for boredom
but is really the quiet moving of the
wheels inside that fuel creativity.
- Anna Quindlen, submitted by Pat. J.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I am often someone who feels it is important (imperative?) to be productive,
so I can relate to the Oscar Wilde quote about the difficulty of doing nothing.
Since I am about to embark on a busy road trip of fall orientation programs
in a few days, I am going to commit to a handful of DOWNTIME moments
this week. Won't you join me? Create an afternoon or even just a few hours
where NOTHING is the goal. Try it, you'll like it! And of course the irony is
that you when you give up needing to be productive, you will end up being
MORE productive in the long run….ooh I like that!

Peace,
Paul

p.s. Thanks to the almost 100 members who have pitched in!
We have now raised $5,500 of the $12,000 we need for
our new website….your purchase from the store helps us
get even closer to a quantum leap in creating ripples!
http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm

***************************************************************************
Ripples: a FREE weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
archives: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/eRipples
store: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm
subscribe FREE: blank email to Join@TheRipplesProject.org
unsubscribe: blank email to Leave@TheRipplesProject.org
submissions: send a quote to Submissions@TheRipplesProject.org

Ripples v6.29: Ripples of CLEAR VISION!
Paul's FREE Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 11,000+

July T-shirt Winner: Carey V.from Wausau WI!
Your awesome quote submission could
win YOU an official Ripples t-shirt!
Details here: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/TeeShirt.html

HELP! We need GREAT quotes!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Even as my eyesight dims somewhat, I find that my vision improves;
that I see the larger picture more clearly as time goes on.
-Elder David B. Haight (1906-2004)

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Your vision will become clear
only when you look into your heart.
Who looks outside, dreams.
Who looks inside, awakens.
-Carl Jung submitted by Pat J. Wauwatosa, WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

In presentations on goal setting, one of the key points we
often explore is the importance of visualization:
a clear mental image of what you seek
creates a map of how to achieve it.
Similar to an atlas, a very detailed "mind map"
is more useful in finding your destination.

Today I challenge you to spend some time refining
a vision you have for work, school, or life.
Imagine what it will look like, sound like, and feel like
once this vision is a reality…the more details the better.

Every day this week pause for 60 seconds to picture your
CLEAR VISION and soon you will see all kinds of opportunities
to nudge it closer to reality! Ok, GO!

Peace,
Paul

p.s. Thanks to the several dozen members who have pitched in!
We have now raised $5,200 of the $12,000 we need for
our new website….your purchase from the store helps us
get even closer to a quantum leap in creating ripples!
http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm

***************************************************************************
Ripples: a FREE weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
archives: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/eRipples
store: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm
subscribe FREE: blank email to Join@TheRipplesProject.org
unsubscribe: blank email to Leave@TheRipplesProject.org
submissions: send a quote to Submissions@TheRipplesProject.org