UXL Blog

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
– Mother Teresa

In these tumultuous times, when everything seems to be changing at lightning speed, it is easy to feel like a very small fish in a very big pond. Politics, technology, the economy—it all seems so chaotic and beyond our control. Additionally, when we turn on the news or log onto social media, we’re often blasted with the latest problems and scandals of the day, which can send us down a rabbit hole of bad news and hot takes.

With so much going on—so many changes and so much chaos—it is easy to become discouraged, overwhelmed, or even depressed. What can one person do against such large forces? How can one voice or one action possibly make a difference? Take heart! It’s possible your actions matter more than you think.

The Ripple Effect

When you throw a rock into a pond, it sends out ripples that change the surface of the water. This is a common metaphor that illustrates how one small action can make a world of difference. Every decision you’ve ever made has had some kind of effect, whether the decision was small (choosing to drive a certain route, deciding to say hi to a grocery clerk, etc.) or large (deciding if (and where) to go to college, choosing who to marry, etc.).

These choices can impact you, those around you, and even people you’ve never met. For example, if you choose to be kind to a grocery clerk, that person might brighten up a bit and say something nice to another customer, who, in turn, might leave a generous tip at dinner that evening, potentially helping out a server who needs a little extra money to care for her sick child. That chain of events might sound far-fetched, but things like this happen every day. Our actions ripple out in ways we will never fully know.

In other words, your decisions matter! Because of that, I encourage you to stop feeling small and start taking intentional actions, knowing that they can (and do) make a difference.

Focus on Small Actions

Although most of us are not equipped to singlehandedly influence large systems or the “powers that be,” we can make an impact through small, meaningful actions. Your actions might be directed toward any of the following:

• Community (getting to know your neighbors better, helping someone with their yardwork)
• Family (taking time to be present, scheduling a family trip)
• Workplace (setting clear boundaries, asking for help when you need it, standing up for a co-worker)
• Politics (attending a protest, making a phone call)
• The Environment (picking up trash, planting a bee-friendly garden)
• …the list goes on!

Your everyday actions matter. Even if you cannot see their full impact, just know that every decision you make (no matter how small) can potentially create a positive or negative influence. Because of that, it’s a good idea to move mindfully through the world, choosing to act with kindness, patience, and understanding. It does make a difference.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

Tags: everyday actions matter, everyday interactions, Margaret Smith life coach, Margaret Smith Minneapolis career coach, ripple effect, your actions matter