Chris Brogan has picked up his camera again. He takes photos on his daily walk and shares them on YouTube. Here’s a bit of advice about how he finds the motivation to keep on going.
I was watching a video about how some people lose motivation to go out and shoot photos, and that their camera gear ends up dusty in their bags. I chimed in and said that every time I go out, I give myself an assignment. For instance, I shot “the last day of summer.” Immediately, I knew what I wanted to capture.
Most mornings, I take a walk with my dog. The goal is to walk to the beach and be comforted by the sunrise and the water. On these walks, I think about things like building community and what small steps people can take.
My assignment today was to look, really look, at the flowers and plants on my walk to the ocean.
The picture below is a house on the way, with a tiny garden in the front. It picks up the light beautifully in the early morning making those plants and grasses pop.
I thought about community, too. What do flowers, plants, and grasses do to help your community?
A well-kept outdoors area lifts up pride in the community. And in your own self, too.
It motivates neighbors to ‘do something’ with their property.
How can you take action and spur others to do the same to clean up your block?
Start small—one plant on a well-positioned stand. The picture below shows an old chair and a plant I bought from a nonprofit.
Take a picture and share it on social media. Encourage others to plant something.
Check with your city, county, and extension office to see if this is anything they might be able to help with. For example, in Lander County, NV, the county conservation office will reimburse you for supplies bought to get rid of weeds.
See if there are local youth groups that might have a flower or garden planting project and need a place to do it. 4H, the extension office and the high school are all places to contact.
If you do find more help in your beautifying efforts, share the information with your friends and neighbors.
What if you don’t want to plant flowers, don’t have time, or can’t afford to, or have a black thumb?
Pick up trash. No one needs a committee to pick up trash. Take 5 minutes on your walk to pick up trash. You can encourage others to do the same.
On your walks, take pictures of good examples and share them.
Ask if someone else wants to plant something in your yard.
