"The soul of the sloth desires, but nothing gets, but the soul of the diligent is satisfied" (Proverbs 13.4). How easy it is to stay on the couch in our house! We feel comfortable, nothing and no one disturbs us, we can prevent unknown situations... Anyway, we got everything under control. Why go out and risk that things do not go as we want?, "I better stay at home, I'm fine here", we can think like that.

You may have identified yourself with this video, produced by Outside da Box because we are generally afraid of the unknown, we consider ourselves unable to change or improve a certain situation, or simply opt for the most comfortable option: the law of minimum effort or "doing" anything. Why are we acting like this? St. Paul didn't understand it either “Because I do not do the good I want, but the evil that I do not want, that I do". (Romans 7.19).

Imagine what would have happened if the people who invented the phone, the wheel, the printing press, the buttons, the cars; or those who discovered the fire, the electricity, or the cure of some disease, would have opted to stay on the couch of their houses. What a different world we would have now, right? To begin with, you could not be reading this article, but you are doing it thanks to those people who chose to leave their comforts to contribute their grain of sand in the construction of a better world. Other is to clarify that "the couch" should not only be understood in literal mode, it can also refer to the confinement in ourselves where we can fall. 

Now you can think: "All very nice but where do I start? There's a lot to be done!" True, there is much to be done, but that should not be an excuse to stop doing. We share 9 tips that we believe can be very useful when it comes to getting to work in this complex but fascinating process of trying to improve the world:

Start with you: It’s no use wanting to change the world if we don't start on our own. For that, I guard your heart every night before bedtime, as our dear pope Francis recommends.

"Start doing what is necessary, then do your best and you will end up doing the impossible": Consider this council of St. Francis of Assisi not to despair at those situations that seem to surpass your capabilities. If you wanted to run for the first time a marathon of 42 km, the most logical thing is to start training with several kilometers less. Be realistic and be patient.

Pencil and paper in hand: Given what is said in point 2, program your week. This will help you to create a habit in what most cost you, and besides applying it to specific activities, you can also implement in those attitudes that you want to change. My father has always told me that character is educated. Come on!

"See the ant, Oh lazy, look at its ways, and be wise" (Proverbs 6.6): Learn to look around, to observe with tranquility and detail everything that can inspire you to act in a good way. Think of your creator. Can you imagine a lazy God after contemplating His wonderful creation? Yes, even from nature we can learn.

Which way is your balance tilted? Focus on what you would stop doing by staying on your couch, instead of thinking about the effort that would mean to do so. What things would you gain when you left? what things would you lose by staying?

"Use in life the talents you possess: the forest would be very quiet if only sing the birds that best sing" (Henry Van's): Think of all the qualities you have, acknowledge that they are a pure gift of God and try to make them known to change or improve today. If you practice that daily, in time, it will become a habit.

Pray. "Prayer is the best weapon we have: it is the key that opens the heart of God" (St. Pius of Pietrelcina): Without prayer, you count nothing but your strength. But with prayer, you count on the strength that comes from high, and little by little you will step aside what you want to do, to hear what God wants you to do.

Earthenware vessels: the previous point predisposes us to better understand this concept. Do everything in your power but acknowledge that you are nothing but the instrument through which God acts. "I am the vine, you the branches; the one who remains in me and me in him, that gives much fruit, because apart from me nothing can Do" (Jn 15, 5).

"Let us not get tired of doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not give up" (Galatians 6.9): if you fail to see the results, God asks you to keep trusting Him, for better than anyone knows the work of your hands and the fatigue of your feet.

Come on, get out of your comfortable couch and go through this world how much you need the work of your hands, the walk of your feet, the affection of your words!, because someday we will be in front of the merciful look of God who will ask us what we have done with all that we have been given, and hopefully we will hear him say: "Good, faithful servant! In the little you have been faithful, at the forefront of it I will put you; enter into the joy of your Lord" (Mt 25.21).