A SAMPLE MICRO ACTION
Ready to help, but think you lack the time and resources to accomplish anything meaningful? No worries! You don’t need to donate a kidney or run a grueling marathon for charity to make a real difference. In fact, some of the most powerful ways to help someone are so simple, they can easily fit into the spare moments of your day.
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Sending a friend a single web link can be a conversational dead end. When it pops up on their device, they may reply with a thumbs-up emoji, and then… crickets. A curated “Care Package” of web links, on the other hand, sends a totally different signal.
Next time, try to put a bit more thought and effort into it. When you send a small, hand-picked collection that’s relevant to your friend – maybe two articles, a video, and a podcast episode – you’re showing them that you’ve been listening. It says, “Hey, I haven’t just thought about you once; I’ve been thinking about this challenge of yours (or this topic that has been of interest to you) for a while now, and I’ve been collecting some things to help.”
Listen carefully for a problem or concern your friend is grappling with. This works equally well for topics of keen interest and other passions. Is your friend suddenly obsessed with food preservation or natural healing remedies? Or maybe they are feeling overwhelmed about their grandchildren’s catechesis. That’s your topic.
Take your time. It’s easy to make a quick search online, but take your time to do a decent job. You don’t have to find everything at once. When you stumble upon a great article, video, or tool related to their topic during your week, just save the link in a note on your phone. When you have 3-4 good ones, you’re ready to send your curated package.
Keep it no-pressure. In fact, mention something about “no pressure” in your introduction. The key is to present it as a gift, not a cumbersome to-do list. Briefly explain what each link represents so the recipient can choose what’s most relevant.
Here’s a template you can use:
Subject: Some stuff that made me think of you!
“Hey! I’ve been saving a few links for you since you mentioned you’re considering off-grid living. No pressure at all to look at this stuff, but I thought they might be helpful as you get started!
- This article had a super simple explanation of off-grid energy sources that that I’ve been testing myself.
- This quick video is the best I’ve seen on how to set up and maintain a home garden (a personal struggle, lol).
- This podcast episode soberly assesses all the pros and cons of going it alone.
- And this podcast episode is just a really inspiring interview with another dude that got me excited.
Hope they help!”
