Do you wake up every morning and say “I’m going to change the world today!”? Most of us would feel a bit grandiose saying that, yet many of us really DO want to change the world, we DO want to make a difference. And we often feel discouraged and disheartened at our inability to do that.
But the truth is you DO make a difference. The question is “What kind of a difference do you make?”
Positive or Negative?
Every day you have many opportunities to make a difference.
When someone in your family interrupts your work do you let them know (silently or not so silently) that they’re bothering you? Or do you set aside what you’re doing and listen attentively?
When you’ve waited in line a long time to order your morning latte (or flat white!) are you a tad crabby when it’s finally your turn? Or do you say something empathetic to the busy barista?
How you choose to respond to and interact with others will determine whether the difference you are making is positive or negative — but you are making a difference.
Other people are affected by your thoughts, words, and actions. You can be a shining beam of light that brightens someone’s day or a dark cloud adding more dreary negativity. Your smile, kind word, or warm gesture could make all the difference to your family, friends, coworkers, or even to a stranger.
You may be thinking that it’s no big deal; smiling at someone or saying something nice doesn’t make much of a difference.
However, as Mother Teresa said, “It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.” Over the years, I’ve heard many stories about a few words or a simple act changing someone’s life. We never know what the magnitude of our impact on someone will be or how it might ripple out into the world.
Playing With This
I’ve been playing with this idea lately. Asking myself
“What KIND of difference am I making here?”