I stand on my deck and throw a stone into the glass like water on the small pond outside nearby. There is instant impact, a circular ripple that spreads out towards the edges of the pond. It is like the impact that we have on the others around us every day. You never really know how your actions, big or small, impact the world and people around you.
- The smile you share with someone on the street
- A hug between you and a friend you haven’t seen in a while
- That retreat leader you talked about
- Training to go on a walking or biking trip somewhere
- Getting your GED or taking a college class
- Having a baby for someone who cant
Creating ripples of self-worth
The smile that you shared with someone today? It made their day. That was what it took for them to realize that they mattered, that they were not invisible to the world. They have been slowly losing their self-confidence over the past month…feeling unworthy and unloved. It was the smile that you shared that gave them a boost. They went home feeling uplifted. Like life may be worth living after all.
That hug that you gave to a friend today? It was the first sense of warmth and kindness that they have felt in over a year. The physical touch of a hug made their blood start to flow warm again. They have been feeling lonely, sad, and withdrawing from people lately. Why was it today that you bumped into each other at the store? It had been years since you last saw them. It was YOUR strong, compassionate hug that was just what they needed to let them know someone cared. They went home to their family feeling loved and shared that to them as well. Double, triple, quadruple ripple!
Creating ripples of self-confidence
How about the coach you talked about? It inspired others to start following her. Because of that they have picked up a pen. They have started to write, create, feel. They signed up for her email. They read a piece that inspired them to start to see their body in a whole new way. Because of that one share, they think, act and live differently within their body. This has allowed their teenage daughter to see herself differently too. Think about the ripple effect that can continue from here…
Or the training program you’ve been on? It has inspired the mom who lives across the street. She hasn’t moved in years! She has been watching and admiring you from the window, lace up your sneakers, smile, and stretch and move your body. She admired your drive and dedication from afar. You told her about your goal a couple months ago and asked her to join you. She said she couldn’t ever do that, but now, because of you, she wants to set her own goal and move with you…
Creating life changing ripples
A class that you debated on signing up for? After all that deliberation in your head, the voices telling you it would be too hard, or that you wouldn’t be able to do it, you decided to take the bull by the horns, bite the bullet…jump into your fear, and you did it. You successfully finished. You are proud, and because of what you accomplished you have been the perfect model for your son, daughter, cousin, sister…Giving them all hope that anything is possible, even when they think it is not.
Or even helping that woman have a baby of her own? The woman that you met who was looking for a woman who would be a surrogate mother for her. She had lost her uterus to cancer, and desperately wanted a child. Because of you, she and her husband have a family to call their own, a dream come true and a gift that lasts a lifetime.
You make a bigger difference than you think. The events and experiences of our lives are like ripples a stone makes in the water. They last long after the stone sinks to the bottom.
I am on a mission to throw lots of stones into the water this year. I have no idea what effect they will have, and that is ok. My goal is to keep throwing. How might you create a ripple effect in your world? One smile, one hug, one shift in perspective, one decision, one share…. That’s all it takes to completely change someone else’s life.
This is our goal this year over at The Body Joyful Revolution. There we share that your weight does not define your worth. That you deserve to feel comfortable and confident in your body, no matter what size, shape or weight you are. That you are worthy, deserving and enough, period. We need you; the world needs you and you matter to all of us. Especially our next generation. They need to be able to see women of all sizes shapes and weights…. all ages, all ethnicities, all religions, all cultures show up being confident in who they are. Not a member? Join here today: The Body Joyful Revolution
This is what creating a ripple effect is all about.
