1000 Awesome Things is just a time-ticking countdown of 1000 awesome things. Launched June, 2008 and updated every weekday. Full story here.
Also, I share the inspiration this site in this TED Talk:
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Some thoughts and reviews from around the horn:
“1000 Awesome Things might be described as optimism for the rest of us. Sunny without being saccharine, it’s a countdown of life’s little joys that reads like a snappy Jerry Seinfeld monologue by way of Maria Von Trapp.” – The Vancouver Sun
“Neil Pasricha is the guru of small joys.” – The Toronto Star
“None of what Pasricha shares is philosophical or heady. Similarly, his style is not a pontification on a single universal truth on how to live a more positive life, regardless of one’s personal circumstances. It’s absent of prescriptions that assume only changing the way we think will result in better outcomes. He merely brings to life — and reminds us about — the small occasions that will likely have you saying to yourself, “yes, that is so right. Why didn’t I think of that?” Pasricha doesn’t mandate a way to live well. In many simple ways, he just reminds us that we already do.” – The Huffington Post
“Pasricha finds fun in frustrations, going from grit to wit.” – Publisher’s Weekly
“Strangely heartwarming… perfect for rainy days.” – The New Yorker
“Laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with just enough sarcastic nostalgia…” – Wired.com
“Honors the little joys of life.” – USA Today
“Consumer angst has turned western civilization into a morass of grumpy old men moaning about shoddy battery life of iPhones or the annoying omnipresence of accident claims adverts when you just want to watch a daytime quiz show. So sometimes, it’s nice to remind yourself of life’s sweeter side and the pleasures to be had from the small things — like peeling the thin plastic film off new electronic gadgets or sneaking your own cheap snacks into the cinemas. 1000 Awesome Things deserves its recent Webby Award; life really is awesome after all.” – The Guardian
“1000 Awesome Things is the #1 awesome website.” – Frank Warren, PostSecret
“Laugh out loud. You feel like you’ve thought of these things a thousand times but just haven’t stopped to write them down.” – BBC South America
“A lovingly beautiful blog. It’s like being a three- or four-year-old and looking at the world for the first time again. Read it and you’ll feel good about being human.” – Jim Hedger, Host of Webcology, Webmaster radio
“Unrelentingly optimistic without being sappy. It’s less about awesome things than it is about seeing the awesomeness of the everyday.” – The Toronto Star
“Cool Site of the Day!” – The Kim Komando Show, #1 Weekend Talk Radio Show in the US
“One of the Top 100 Blogs of 2010.” – PC Mag
“One of the Top 100 Web sites of 2009.” – PC Mag
“One of the Top 50 Blogs of 2009.” – PC Mag
“Given the hectic nature of our lives, it’s easy to overlook the little things that make it all worthwhile. Thank goodness we’ve got this new site to remind us of life’s small pleasures. They’re just getting started with the list but we’ve already identified a few favorites including that pile of assorted beers left in your fridge after a party, locking people out of the car and pretending to drive away, and finding money you didn’t even know you lost. – The Record (San Joaquin County Daily Newspaper)
“A simple but brilliant idea.” – Fox News
“… the most optimistic, sunny blog online. You have to test your cynicism against this affirmation of all things and see if you can actually handle it.” – CBC Radio
“Sleeping in your own bed after a long trip, being able to carry all the groceries from the car in one swoop, that miracle of science when the amount of toilet paper left on the toll is the exact amount you need – these are just some of the quietly awesome things in life at 1000 Awesome Things.” – Mental Floss
“Best of 2009.” – All My Faves
“1000 Awesome Things should put itself on the list of 1000 Awesome Things. I’d hit it.” – Cheezburger Ben Huh, I Can Has Cheezburger? & FAIL Blog
“1000 Awesome Things is where the modern world stops to smell the roses.” – Ben Mercer, CFRB 1010
“Reading your blog always brings a smile to my face & I feel like I am talking to you.” – Email from author’s mother, January 12, 2009
“One of the best Pop Culture Blogs on the Internet.” – Make Five, “The Best Pop Culture Blogs”
“1000 Awesome Things is a case study on how to create an amazing contribution to the blogosphere. ” – Wikinomics, “How to build an amazing blog”
“1000 Awesome Things is absolute, pure joy.” – Q107, Calgary, Alberta, “The Terri and Patti Show”
“There’s something riveting about 1000 Awesome Things that makes you want to keep coming back. Aside from the great humor, it reminds you of the little things in life, and how awesome they can be.” – Zen Habits, Leo Babauta
“Internet humor is basically pissing all over things just for the sake of pissing on them, even if they don’t particularly deserve it. Fake outrage gets a little wearisome. 1000 Awesome Things, on the other hand, is taking the road less traveled and showing that loving things can be just as funny as hating them.” – Man vs. Clown!, Peter Lynn
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And now for the legal stuff: Use of this website is for personal, non-commercial purposes. Any other use is expressly forbidden. The authors of this website own all content together with any comments and suggestions, including those sent in by electronic means. Users choosing to make any suggestions or comments thereby release any rights to them. The authors are free to use, adapt or ignore any suggestions and are not required to acknowledge them in any form.
I just stumbled upon your blog and got lost for an hour. Here’s an awesome thing: I came out of your blog feeling cheered up. Thanks! I’ll be checking back often…
really REALLY good one fella’. I luv it!
Thank you for this website. I just discovered it and it has been helping me get through this really rough weekend. As I mope around my apartment, every time I feel especially down and need a little break from my sadness I click to the next page and feel happy even if just for the few moments it takes me to read the page.
I think someone was watching me when they wrote #639 … AWESOME! :)
This site is beautiful.
Literally just discovered it, and it’s made me smile rather a lot, just when I needed to. Thank you.
To me the most ‘awesome’ thing in life is the first time someone calls you a best friend is casual conversation – okay it’s quite a teen thing: but it’s still pretty damn great.
x
This is awesome… so glad I found the site! Can’t wait to see what’s still to come
Being completely broke and putting on a pair of semi-clean jeans and finding a five spot in the pocket! Awesome!
I just found the link to this wonderful website next to a secret on Postsecret.com and had to check it out.
Now that I already went through only a few of all those awesome things I just wanted to tell you how much I like your website! I could read awesome things for hours now. :)
Thank you for that wonderful idea you had.
i love this site. the best thing i can think of thats makes my life awesome is
when i wake up half way through the night thinking i’m on my own in bed and then realise that my girldfriend is lying next to me…
makes me smile when ever i see her, so when i think she’s not there then remember she is = extra smiles.
i heard about your website through post secret, ad i had a look around.
now, i’m properly addicted!
I check everyday to read the latest uplifting, funny and completely AWESOME post!
THANKYOU!
Hey Megan, I found this through postsecret as well, these 2 websites are so freakin cool lol
=)
Agree with the “The Vancouver Sun” Idk why but as I read these I kept thinking “thats something Jerry Seinfeld would say,” or “something like this could definitely be on Seinfeld” (the show)
I love this site! Thanks for adding positivity to our world.
My contribution: peeling away cardboard to open a new kleenex box (i just love feeling each portion of the serrated edge pop)!
I recently found this website and it makes my day!! Whenever I feel down or after a crappy day, I go this website and I always feel better. AWESOME!
I love your blog, it allows you to forget just for that small moment in time. it’s priceless :) keep it up!!!!
check mine out if you fancy:
http://www.12baroriginal.wordpress.com
I hope you’ll include this… And think of a snappy way to phrase it :)
When it’s freezing out and you can see your breath… Love it! I always make sure to breath in through my nose (to keep the air in your mouth super warm) and out through my mouth in one huge exhale. Too much fun, reminds me of being a kid and pretending I was a dragon.
FALLING ASLEEP WITH YOUR CLOTHES STILL ON!
i love your blog :)
finally fastening that clasp on your necklace. :)
Finally! A blog that actually publishes daily and sticks to it! That’s awesome!
1. Trying to find the end of Scotch Tape and pulling a tiny piece and….
2. When you sweep dust in to a shovel and there is that line of dust that refuses to go in to the shovel and you get so frustrated you just wham that remaining dust under the couch or wherever….
I found this site about a month ago, and it only took about 2 minutes for me to make it my homepage.
Now I look forward to opening up my browser each weekday and getting that little smiley face in the corner with a new awesome listing.
Thank you so much for doing this, Neil – I love finding little things to smile about every day!
Entertaining. Keep it coming.
I love your site! Here are two things that I think are awesome. Hopefully they aren’t on your list yet-I haven’t read your whole list I want to save it-a few per day to make me smile.
1) When you wake up thinking that you have to go to work and realise that it’s your day off. AWESOME!
2) When you are tired and hungry and don’t feel like cooking and look in the fridge and there are leftovers-all you have to do is heat them up!
AWESOME!
Thanks!
Candace
WOW :D It’s a real shame more people don’t know about this site, it had what I needed this morning XD
this makes me laugh so much.
i think you’re awesome.
This is one of my favourite websites. I check everyday to see more awesome, and when I forget then there are two or three more awesome things.
Thanks.
Question: How do you come up with this stuff?
How can people submit suggestions?
Clean pits… awesome/
Forgeting your family because of dumb family drama!!!
write a blog about that…
AWESOME!!!!
Hi. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your site. You remind me to live in the moment, have fun and be grateful for the simple things in life. You are certainly awesome. Thanks
I love this site!
Can I make requests?
Awesome: Gulp of super cold milk after a bite of chocolate cake or peanut butter sandwich – AWESOME!
$2 bills
remembering a funny moment and cracking up
taking a hot shower after a cold football game
laying outside on a sunny day in a black t-shirt
having a great hair day
knowing every line to a movie
popping a zit
girl scout cookies
This website never fails to make me happy, no matter what kind of day I’m having.
hello,
I really like the blog and maybe I’m going to buy the book. Does anyone know if the ‘awesome things’ in the book are the same as the ones from the blog, so if it’s just the blog but then in book-version, with the same ‘awesome things’ as on the blog? (I’m sorry if my English is weird, I’m Dutch)
Hey Karlijn,
The book is a 400-page hardcover with about 50 all-new entries in it. There are around 150 or so classic entries from the blog, most of which have been revised, expanded, or edited up. There are also some secret entries, some new photos, and a whole lot more of “book”
And yo’ English ain’t weird! Thanks for the question.
Neil
These days its really easy to get rapped up in the inordinate amounts of sadness and bad news out in the world. I just wanted to thank you for giving all of us that little reminder of the little things that make life so awesome. I look forward to your entries every day, and look forward to your book (congratulations!).
This is so AWESOME! I can honestly say that I relate to each and every one of these! They are all funny, and they are all true. I relate to your latest one as well, about your dear friend Chris. I have come close, but I will never, ever, consider it an option again. Thank you.
just wanna say thank you! i’ve read the blog lots of times and every day and i always smile and that’s AWESOME
hi there! actually it’s not my first time reading your site… but it’s my first comment.
Reading your blog is such an inspiration for me. Actually I’m not good at writing. But I love writing, and every time I read your posts, there’s always something pop-up in my brain and suddenly want to write something from things you wrote. Your writings are really inspiring. I like them all. And I can’t deny that every little things you wrote always successfully make me smile and murmur, “Yes! That’s rite!” and brings good moods that will resist for the whole day. And I really wants to share what I feel with every time I read your blog with other people. So, I ask your permission to quote some of your writings to my blog. But I’ll add the quotation and notes that what’s in my blog is your writings and of course I’ll add the link to your blog.
Thanks for giving me the inspirations :)
I just love your blog, it really brightens my day and makes me stop and appreciate the little things in life. It makes me laugh out loud and weep with joy.
Keep it going!
It’s a list of every little thing in the world that ever makes me smile. I love it.
“… choosing the correctize container to store one’s left-overs on the first try.”
I want to subscribe to your blog, please and thanks.
The countdown is almost halfway over. I don’t want it to ever end. I love this site so much.
Oh my gosh! I totaly love the idea. I get on this blog everyday at school during study hall and when my teacher isn’t looking. The pictures don’t show up, but I love this! Especial because ive been having a rough time lately with high school, but this blog never fails to make me smile. Thanks for the new out look on all the little things I would look past and never realized how truely AWESOME they are!
haha coolest web ever~
love love it!!!!!
I just had a school trip with college kids
read u mind haha~
Just found a link to this site from another site that included ten awesome things. IMMD!
Hi there,
I have to say that your email updates are awesome but recently you’ve been incorporating too many pushes for your book and winning competition larks. That really undermines the beauty of what you’ve accomplished for me. It turns an email that you look forward to, to one that you sort of look forward to opening.
And i dont think that’s your intention.
Appreciate you want to make your millions but i’m sure there’s a more appropriate way to promote your commercial pursuits…
Rich