The Ripple Effect - Your Importance in This World

In this episode, we explore how our daily interactions—both big and small—create ripples that affect those around us. From the way we respond to others’ emotions to the kindness we show in everyday situations, our presence in the world has a powerful impact. We discuss how self-awareness can help us use this influence for good, reinforcing our self-worth and creating a more positive environment. Through personal stories and reflections, we’ll uncover how even the smallest actions can contribute to meaningful change and inspire others to do the same.

Show Notes:

• The power of our daily interactions
• Recognizing and harnessing our ability to create positive change
• The ripple effect of our words, actions, and presence
• Leading by example and responding to conflict with grace and understanding
• How kindness and positivity affect our brains and emotions
• Practical ways to be intentional about our impact
• Embracing our importance in the world

Key Takeaways:

• We have more control over our impact than we often realize.
• Small gestures of kindness can have far-reaching effects.
• Self-awareness and intentionality help minimize negative interactions.
• Our presence, words, and energy can uplift or weigh down those around us.
• The importance of leading by example and learning from our experiences.
• Share this episode with someone who needs a reminder of their importance.

Transcript

 Today I’d like to chat about our interactions with others and how they can affect your day to day life. Not just how we let others affect us, how we sometimes allow others to dictate our moods, if we feel happy that day or stressed but also how we in turn affect others by realizing the impact that each and every one of us has on each other. And how we can use that power to do good for others, to use that power to reinforce our own self worth, to reinforce the knowledge that we are important to the world because each and every one of us is important, and also use that power to minimize negative impacts in our lives and help move us forward in finding more peace and calm in our lives

Everything we do, every word we speak, every action we take and every interaction with those around us sends ripples to everyone we encounter. Whether we realize it or not, our mere presence and how we show up in the world, our words, and behaviors can influence those around us, affecting their thoughts, their moods and even their own growth if they allow it. Understanding the impact we have on others and they have on us is not just important to our self-awareness but it’s how we can help create and contribute to a better world overall. How we choose to move thru the world and what our legacy will be is something we don’t even realize is happening subconsciously but we can move it to a more conscious level to ensure what we give and what we get is more positive and supportive.

Our daily interactions, however small or insignificant they may seem, all carry weight. Whether it’s a smile at a stranger or a small gesture to offer support to a friend, we can uplift those people in both cases exponentially more than the actual act...like a drop of rain on a calm lake, it ripples out further than you ever imagined. You may think it’s just a smile, it was just a small offer of help but you have no idea if that person was going thru something or how their own internal mindset was that day and how that small positive interaction could have given them what they needed to uplift them to the point that they had the strength to move forward and better yet, that they were then able to offer support to another stranger or to their own family or friends. Now the same goes for negative interactions...frowning at a stranger, ignoring them, lashing out at a friend because you’re angry or responding negatively because you’re dealing with something else that has nothing to do with the person in front of you...that also creates ripples that can grow and cascade. Needless to say there are unintentional consequences that can leave a lasting impact, cause unnecessary tension, and create more negativity and stress that dominos to others.

You see, you are important to the world even if that world is simply the world around you. With all the big things that happen in the world that are out of our control you may think you have no impact but I respectfully say you would be 100% wrong no matter who you are. You may not realize this, you may think that no one pays attention to you, you may question your importance in the world but I know, I KNOW that you have an impact and are important without even knowing you or what you have going on in your life because that’s just how life works. Each and every one of us has an impact to this world and how you choose to be impacted or how you impact others is completely within your power. In fact it’s one of the few things we actually all have power over. Maybe you’re listening today because you’re wondering about your importance...or maybe you’re listening because someone shared this with you and know that you are important and they wanted you to hear this. Or maybe you just stumbled onto this and the universe knows you need to hear this, today, right now.

So let me give you a couple examples of things where the impact is not initially known or could be unintentional. Now this is how I know that I’m supposed to be sharing this podcast this week about the impact of each of us in the world because recently I had an interaction with someone that reinforced that knowledge of the impacts we have on each other. First let me say that while I speak of positivity and I live and breath it, I will be the first to say that I’m human and I am by no means perfect. I may be a positive human but I’m a human first and recently my frustrations got the best of me and I’ll be honest, I was a bit of a jerk. I absolutely will own when I fail and I failed. What I didn’t realize is I triggered something in someone to the point that they reacted with very negative personal comments towards me. Now do I think it’s fair they responded so personally..no but we all know that life is not fair. So I’ll be honest, I first had to get thru some hurt and allow myself a little pity party for a bit, but then I had to remind myself of who I KNOW myself to be regardless of this person’s response and perception. But then I had to look at my role in the interaction because that’s all I have control over and I have to be accountable and learn from it. But I also have to trust that they will do the same and whether they do or not, I have to offer empathy for whatever they are going thru and why they responded as they did but my point is the words on both sides can have unintentional consequences and we have to own when they do...own the negative as well as the positive. I will be sure to be more intentional in my responses and my words because once I stay conscious of the underlying intent, I can ensure my words and action reflect that without letting frustration or anger overshadow that good intention.

Now another example that is more positive is the impact of simple acts that we do and don’t realize the extended reach they have and in this example, its generational for me. My mom taught me to crochet when I was younger...her mom, my Nana, taught her how to crochet. I love to crochet at night as part of my wind down so I’m always making baby blankets and giving them away and hats and scarves to donate ...I love making these simple things because the patterns are repetitve and easy so it helps me relax. Now I’ve bumped into old friends and coworkers from over 30 years ago that talk about the blankie their kids still have in their 20s and I don’t even think about that or in some cases I don’t even remember making it it but they do and their kids do. And when my niece was younger I taught her how to crochet. Just a few weeks ago she sent me a picture of a baby blanket she made for one of her friends and that honestly was the beginning of this podcast...between her telling me this a couple weeks ago and then this interaction I had last week. That’s what that got me thinking about how my Nana didn’t know the longlasting positive impact she had on my mom with this simple crochet, my mom didn’t know the impact she had on me and I didn’t know the impact I would have on my neice. But there’s 4 generations of positive actions and think about how many other people each one of us has impacted on those we gave crochet items to...all starting with my Nana and who knows how far back it goes from there? I know it’s only a crocheted blanket or hat...but it made someone feel cared for, it made someone feel special and of course thats not what any of us are thinking as we are making these items or by just going about our day and holding a door open. But that’s the point is that our impact is always there without us necessarily trying or knowing about it. I regularly have people tell me that the daily posts I have on my social media really hit home for them, or got them thru a hard day, or just spoke to their heart and that just warms me to know that there is at least one person out there every day I have had a positive impact on. 

We are leading by example whether we try to be the example or not..you don’t have to add positive posts on your Instagram or smile at strangers although why not. Our actions often speak louder than our words. But even when things don’t go as planned in our lives, When we deal with conflicts and disagreements with grace and understanding, we are showing that we are open-minded and that it’s safe to have disagreements and be vulnerable. Now if someone is not treating you well or is disrespecting you, you can still include grace and understanding by understanding that maybe a little distance could be healthy for you both and you can back away with grace. And that is also leading by example and creating positive impact which may not be felt right away. And When we are doing for others with no expectations, we show that doing something without expecting or wanting anything in return is not being taken advantage of, it’s giving of ourselves and being a good human. By striving to be a positive influence, we contribute to that ripple effect that can inspire others to pay it forward. This chain reaction creates a culture of support and growth that benefits not just the individuals initially involved but it ripples to entire communities and yes I’ll say it, to the world overall because as the song says, we are the world.

Understanding the impact we have on others begins with self-awareness. When we reflect on our own behaviors and how and why we communicate as we do, we learn more about how we influence those around us. Self-awareness helps us identify areas where we might unintentionally cause harm or where we can be even more intentional in our support. So you may think you don’t carry any weight in your world but you have no idea the lives you have touched by lending a hand even if it’s just clearing off the table, by showing kindness by holding a door open for someone, sharing a song you heard that moved you...small actions that remind people of the inherent goodness in humanity and encourage them to pay it forward creating more ripples and more impact.

While we focus on the impact we have on others, it’s important to recognize that growth is a two-way street. Our interactions with others also shape us, offering lessons, inspiration, and opportunities for self-improvement if we are open to listening and reflecting. By remaining open to feedback and learning from those around us, we help to grow in our our own journey as well as theirs. Life will always have its challenges, but how we respond to adversity can inspire those around us. And if you’ve been thru hard challenges and let’s face it, we all have, and you don’t feel like you’re any kind of example, the fact that you are HERE, that you are choosing to learn and trying to move forward, choosing resilience... you’re having an impact by showing that difficulties are not insurmountable and that you are getting up every day and putting one foot in front of the other and keeping at it. It’s about striving to do better, learning from mistakes, and showing up authentically. When you acknowledge your imperfections regardless of where they came from or why, you are committing to growth in the midst of that imperfection.

That energy, that perseverance, your energy influences those around you and will have a lasting impact on those you cross paths with. We tend to mirror what is presented to us in terms of energy and emotions whether it’s what we are seeing and taking in or what we are reflecting so we need to be conscious of both sides of that mirror. We know that research shows that how you show up in the world has a direct impact on those around you. It’s all contagious whether we are complaining and not showing gratitude or we are purposeful and showing kindness. Studies in psychology and neuroscience have identified that acts of kindness stimulate the release of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes bonding and trust with others. This chemical reaction not only benefits the person receiving the kindness but also enhances the well-being of the giver and even those who witness the interaction, I mean how powerful is that? Our actions, our words can have a direct chemical affect on so many including ourselves. 

So think about today...did you do something kind for someone today? How about yesterday...maybe at some point this past week? Maybe you don’t even realize you did this but think about all those little moments in your day...when someone smiled at you, did you smile back and validate them? Maybe someone needed something at work and you helped someone figure something out and you have no idea if they were relieved that they know understood what to do because they need that job so badly for their family. Maybe in traffic you let someone in and that helped someone who was having a frantic morning help them to relax a bit and not take it out on the next person. So think back...your innocent daily way of living may have positively affected someone so deeply so imagine if you were intentional in making more of those connections? Life is not a zero sum game...by giving to someone else doesn’t mean you have to take from yourself. In fact many times it also adds to your own calm and balance.

Every small gesture, every kind word, every learned failure forward, and every moment of understanding contributes to a ripple effect of positivity. The impact of your choices extends far beyond what you can see, touching lives and inspiring change in ways you may never know. The simplicity of recognizing your importance to the world is all it takes. You don’t need to be a world leader, a celebrity, the head of your family or maybe you’re even the outcast of it. Your everyday choices have that impact no matter who you are or where you are in life. Be intentional, own your mistakes, self reflect and grow. And share this episode with someone you know that needs to know how important they are or to someone who helps you feel important. But always remember, You ARE important, you ARE needed so let’s embrace our importance in this world, the opportunity to make a difference in our little corner of it, knowing that our impact has the power to shape lives and build a more compassionate and caring world, little by little and peace by peace.