How to use the Spiral
Each spiral contains activities for one year. You can download our 2025 spiral today! Cut along the heavy spiral line and tape the two spirals (parts A and B) together (at July 14 and July 21) to form one long 52 week “ribbon.” Each week, tear off the week you are in and do the activities listed. After 208 weeks we will, hopefully, have a happier and more positive nation!
Each week there are two activities listed:
The first activity is the Thank You Card Initiative. In alternative weeks, write a thank you card to a single individual making a difference. The person does not have to be a politician or anyone political at all - could be a local hero or do-gooder. The other weeks are spent planning who to write to.
The second activity is the Happiness Initiative. This is an easy activity with a variety of facets: learning about the world, helping or showing support to a marginalized group, working on the environment, or just being kind. The goal is to make someone a little happier that week (including yourself!).
Helpful Tips
- We suggest writing actual cards and not sending emails.
- In our group that meets in a local cafe, we might send 6-8 cards to one person. Imagine getting a whole bunch of beautiful cards in one day! We’ve even received thank you cards back - it’s a powerful effect.
- Each local group can decide themselves which person to write to OR everyone in the country can write to the same person. It’s more effective if a number of cards arrive on the same day.
Too Easy/Too Hard?
If the spiral seems too simple and easy, it’s because we made it that way. You can always add in more difficult activities. However, we have seen too many people burned out by doing too much - especially activities they disliked. We are trying to avoid folks being overwhelmed and falling into despair. Here’s a quote we love from Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer:
“Despair is paralysis. It robs us of agency. It blinds us to our own power and the power of the earth. Environmental despair is a poison every bit as destructive as the methylated mercury in the bottom of Onondaga Lake. But how can we submit to despair while the land is saying "Help"? Restoration is a powerful antidote to despair.”
If you need to skip a week, don’t worry about it! Just try not to skip two weeks in a row. This is important in forming a good habit as explained in Atomic Habits by James Clear.
We also have blank spirals you can download if you would like to fill in your own activities. If you have any suggestions for weekly activities in our next year’s spiral, please email us and let us know (208WeeksProject@gmail.com)!
Questions?
Send us an email: 208WeeksProject@gmail.com. We’d love to hear how it’s going and what activities you have done or cards you have written. Or, if you have any suggestions for weekly activities in our next year’s spiral, or resources, please email us and let us know.