Daily Challenges

---

---

{Be} the Change -  We invite you to participate in our daily Challenges

---

---

The Peace Tri{be} invites you to participate in just ONE of the simple actions below per week.  This is our peaceful challenge to the world to {BE} the Change.  The world is full of complex and challenging concerns.  The ideas below are invitations for each of us to begin right NOW with simple things we can do in our homes and local communities; working together as ONE tribe towards a healthy and well-balanced world.  The Peace Tri{be} invites you to take one small step per week… producing a global ripple effect… { I {Be} the Change today… my neighbors and friends feels inspired by the action… they participate in the challenges next week… they share with other friends and neighbors the following week… and so on}.  There are over 6.7 billion people on this planet… 6.7 billion small personal steps combined = equals ONE GIANT leap for the health of our planet and the well-being of our local communities.  These are our first steps in a rewarding and exciting adventure!

---

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!” – Lao-tzu

---

Monday – {Be} Free!

• Buy Nothing Day / No Waste Day / Cleanup Day / Reflection on consumerism (a day to observe just how much craziness is going on around us… and to take a step back… take a deep breathe… and reflect on the madness of what is truly happening!  this is a potent opportunity to experience just how much waste is produced in our current consumer based society)
  • don’t buy ANYTHING – do not support the consumerism monster
  • create NO waste – NO garbage – no packaging/plastic/cardboard etc.
  • compost any food waste we create
  • buy no gas/petroleum – maybe even ride our bike
  • make our breakfast, lunch and dinner (hopefully with local organic produce) and take it with us in a re-usable container – cheaper than eating out and better for us
  • no wasted plastic, styrofoam or paper cups, plates or utensils going into the landfill
  • carry with us our own re-usable water bottle, bamboo utensils & bowl, and canvas bag
  • go for a little walk in our neighborhood and pick up some garbage – at least one ‘peace’ or a whole bag full
  • help clean up our community and environment

---

“Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.” – Howard Zinn

---

Tuesday – {Be} Healthy

• Health of Body & Nature Day – Local/Personal awareness - Juice cleanse &/or no meat &/or no processed foods (a day to appreciate ourselves, our bodies and our health… a moment to remember our body is our temple… to remember that basic nutrition is one of our most fundamental factors in a healthy and well-balanced life.  also a day to give gratitude for the beautiful planet we are blessed to call home, a moment to remember what a precious gift this planet is! a day to begin understanding how much energy & resources are necessary to provide our society with meat and processed foods – the energy and resources used to feed the animals – the energy consumed to process, package, market and distribute non-local foods.  let us all reflect upon the health of the whole organism – ourselves & the planet together as ONE )
  • make sure our food for the day is organic and coming from a local source (an organic farm within 200 miles)
  • if buying groceries, take our own reusable bags and shop from the local bulk bins so no unnecessary marketing and packaging materials accompany the food
  • a full day nutritional juice cleanse (no solid foods – juice only)
  • no eating or buying meat &/or processed foods – (statistics exhibit amazingly high global energy consumption to provide us with these items )

---

“It is possible that the next Buddha will not take the form of an individual.  The next Buddha may take the form of a community – a community practicing understanding and loving kindness, a community practicing mindful living.  This may be the most important thing we can do for the earth’s survival.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

---

Wednesday – {Be} Water My Friends

• Conserve Water & Natural Resources Day (a day to remember how precious & vital our water is to us… a day to respect and honor the sources of our water… to keep them clean and healthy for all.  MANY places in the world have a shortage of water… it is both a GLOBAL & local issue… this is a day where we can take part in a local individual action that effects many people around us)
  • wash our dishes with (x – smallest amount possible) gallons of water – do not leave faucet running while washing dishes – fill a tub with water and use it all day as the initial rinsing water
  • do not leave water running while brushing teeth
  • take a 5 minute shower with cool water
  • carry with us a re-usable water bottle so no extra water is left over in a cup or glass (in portions of the world every single DROP is precious!)
  • take a careful look at our home sprinkler schedule/frequency if we have one – can it be set less frequently?
  • are we watering green landscapes that hardly ever get used and do not provide food? maybe we start thinking about planting an edible landscape… providing food for ourselves and our neighbors

---

“Those who say it can not be done should get out of the way of the person doing it.” – Chinese Proverb

---

Thursday – {Be} Silence

• Conserve Energy Day / Enjoy the Silence Day (a day to step back from all the craziness and distractions swirling around us… a moment to contemplate on 6.7 billion people on the planet… how many light bulbs, computers, TV’s, radios, air-conditioners etc… and how much energy is required to keep all of this going.  also a moment to realize how much noise is constantly bombarding us with advertising, billboards, commercials etc.  this is our opportunity to step back from all of this… and to step into the calm silence… the beautiful stillness that awaits all of us in our own heart… an opportunity to hear the magical rhythms of our own breath and heart beat)
  • turn all our lights and electronic devices off from 7:30 until bedtime… use the beautiful illumination of a candle
  • turn off the tv, radio, computer, cell phone… everything
  • {BE} in Silence from 7:30 – 8:30 … just {BE}
  • enjoy ourselves… enjoy the silence… begin to realize how fast paced life can get with so many distractions… this is our time to root back into ourselves and ask what we really want in our lives
  • just BE with ourselves … if any starting points are desired…
    • if we want we can reflect upon/introspect
      • our happiness
      • our health
      • our lifestyle
    • a few other enjoyable opportunities to explore
      • gaze into the eyes of a special friend
      • play the instrument that has been sitting in the corner of the room for 2 years
      • listen to the beautiful rhythm of our own breath and heart beat
      • light a candle and read the book we have been wanting to but haven’t had time for
      • practice yoga or meditation

---

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.  Happiness never decreases by being shared.” – Buddha

---

Friday – {Be} Inspired

• Be Grateful & Inspired Day / Personal Day of Reflection & Joy / Create a Vision of Happiness Day (a day to be grateful for the beautiful gifts in our lives… a moment to say thank you and be happy with ourselves.  a precious moment to offer gratitude for all our blessings.  a moment to dream of the vision we wish to create in our lives… now is the time to get specific and focus on what is important to us in life. we now have the opportunity give these ideas power and reality by writing them down in our journal (if we don’t have a journal, let’s go get one!)… through the process of actually illustrating the vision we want to create, we are one step closer to manifesting our new reality!)
  • journal 5 things I am grateful for in my life
  • sketch an image of what my dreams look like
    • illustrate what I want in my life and in my community
    • what does my vision of an ideal world look like?!
    • what does the vision of my ideal life look like?!
  • we begin to experience the significance and power of actually writing ideas down on paper… it is now offered freely to the world… it is now communicating with the universe… the ideas are no longer just ideas floating around in our heads… they are beginning to take shape in our physical world… we are now one step closer to creating our dreams.  dreams can come true when we WAKE UP!

---

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” – Jimi Hendrix

---

Saturday – {Be} Natural

• Be Natural Day / Experience the amazing cycles of life all around us ( this is our opportunity to get back to our roots… to ground ourselves in the soil of this beautiful planet upon which we live.  this day allows us to get in touch with the cycles of life… to remember where our food comes from, remember that seeds are planted in soil… if the soil has water… if the soil is healthy and nourished the seed sprouts… it sinks its roots deep into the ground creating a strong foundation… it then rises towards the sun… reaching toward the skies above.  it remembers & acknowledges its’ roots as it flowers into a beautiful blossom of delight and aroma… it provides fruit and nourishment for humanity… then we as humanity have the opportunity to play our part in this beautiful cycle… we have the opportunity to take care of the land from which this seed arose… we have the opportunity to plant this seed once again… the opportunity to nourish and respect the soil once again… the opportunity to play our part in this amazing game of mystery and delight… to play our part in honoring and respecting the delicate cycles of nature)
  • Spend one hour surrounded by Nature
  • go the mountains
  • go to the ocean
  • go to the desert
  • go on a hike
  • spend one hour in the garden (if we don’t have a garden we can go to a local community garden)
  • plant some seeds in the soil

---

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss (the Lorax)

---

Sunday – {Be} Love

• Be Celebration & Love Day (this is our opportunity to experience the juice and joy of life… to dance a little dance and sing a little song. a smile is one of the most precious gifts we have to offer… a deep laugh of joy is one of the most healing things we can do for ourselves… and for those around us!)
  • tell someone we love them
  • do a little dance – dance like everyone is watching… or no one is watching – dance within the freedom and joy of our own hearts… let our souls fly – get crazy and have fun!
  • sing out loud in the shower… or a public space
  • be kind and smile at a stranger on the street
  • help our neighbor with a little house project
  • laugh from deep in our belly with joy
  • remember not to take life too seriously… it can be a lot of fun!

---

“When we dream alone, it is only a dream. But when we dream together, it is the beginning of a new reality.” – Unknown Author

---

Other Opportunities for thinking global and acting local

• We invite you to participate in one of these activities per week
  
  • ride a bike to work if possible
  • carpool to work if possible
  • music class
  • dance class
  • yoga class
  • art class
  • gardening class
  • nutrition class
  • create a ‘Tri{be}ing the Change’ video clip for the website (www.PeaceTribe.org) – a video clip of participating/succeeding in one of the weekly challenges

• We invite you to participate in one of these activities per month
  
  • volunteer with a local nonprofit organization
  • attend a city counsel meeting
  • attend a Peace Tri{be} gathering in our local community

---

“We are the ones we have been waiting for.” – Hopi Elders

---

• We invite you to participate in one of these activities per year (it is these serious types of questions we need to ask ourselves… to get REAL with ourselves… and potentially make some BIG/Major changes in our lives.  Yes change is often scary… yet once we realize how truly necessary and beautiful it is to truly shift the directions of our lives… it creates space for potential and opportunity… when we intentionally close the door of habitual patterns that have not been life affirming… a hundred more doors and windows of all shapes, sizes and colors appear… these openings are filled with new found magic and wonder)
  
  • make sure we are living the life we want to live… make sure we are enjoying our lives while spreading happiness and health into the world around us… reflect back to the dreams of our youth and make sure we are taking the steps necessary to make these dreams a reality
  • shape our lives in a more sustainable way
    • do we drive 30 minutes or more to work? if so…
      • change our job
      • move
    • do we eat healthy local organic produce?
      • buy from local markets and farmers markets
    • is our home healthy, sustainable and/or affordable
      • if not… move… and together we can create a neighborhood cooperative or create a co-housing community
  • is our career/job contributing something of TRUE value to society? can we/society live without it? is it worth the price the world is paying for it? what is the cost to society in the use of natural resources and energy to create the THING? or is our job/THING producing more waste, greed or consumerism in the world? if our jobs are not providing something of health and/or TRUE value to the collective world… (when we say ‘true’ we mean, does it help the GREATER good (society) find greater opportunity for healthy food, safe homes, safe communities, education, water, renewable sources of energy and sustainable living practices? or does it produce more THINGS in the world for people to spend money on (consumerism) and eventually contribute to the global landfill (while depleting our natural resources at the same time)).
    • change our jobs – change our lives – change our communities
    • redirect the mission/vision of our companies to adopt the triple bottom line commitment… People / Planet / Prosperity
    • if the businesses we are associated with are directly or indirectly causing harm to humans/animals/planet, the collective… quit … find a new job
    • it feels really good to do something good for ourselves and the greater world community!

---

~the earthdance prayer~

We are one Global family

All colors, all races

One World united.

We dance for peace

And the healing of our planet Earth.

Peace for all Nations

Peace for our communities

And peace within ourselves.

As we join together across the world

Let us connect heart to heart.

Through our diversity we recognize unity.

Through compassion we recognize peace.

Our love is the power to transform our world.

Let us send it out NOW……..

the earthdance prayer

---

Love & Gratitude from the Tri{be}!