Ripple Effect

I was chatting with a friend this week and we were talking about the Ripple Effect of our choices and attitudes. Then, I had a conversation with another friend, and the same idea came up! So, of course, that's what I need to share with you this week!

Here's the basic idea - our actions and attitudes have an influence on the people and environments around us, whether we want them to or not. Through our words, our actions, our reactions, and even our mannerisms, we are making an impact on the space and the people around us. The Ripple Effect will happen, it's just a matter of whether it will be positive or negative.  A story to illustrate.

One of my friends was telling me about a situation in which an individual got very upset with them and came and started yelling and berating them in front of another group of people. My friend remained calm and composed and simply responded to the person that they didn't appreciate being talked to like that, and they felt like it was important for the other person to just walk away.  Of course, that didn't go over very well, so they yelled some more and then said a few choices words over their shoulder as they were walking away. After a few minutes, two other individuals who had witnessed the encounter individually came to my friend and told them how much they appreciated the calm way they had handled the situation in the face of how awful the other person had been to them.

In this one encounter, multiple Ripple Effects were happening. The person doing the yelling made a significant negative Ripple Effect. They may not have intended this to happen, but that entire group of people who witnessed their tantrum lowered their feelings and expectations of that individual.  Conversely, my friend made a positive Ripple Effect by the way they responded, elevating their opinion to that same group of people.

That's the thing about the Ripple Effect, usually it isn't ever the reason we do or say something, but it happens whether we want it to or not. The person yelling wasn't trying to have the other people think less of them, and my friend wasn't trying to have the other people think more highly of them, but that is exactly what happened because of the Ripple Effect.

Here's the main point - being aware of the Ripple Effect can help us be more mindful up front of how much of an impact we are making. It allows us to make choices that create the kind of Ripple Effect we want to be making in the world.

Maybe you can think of a situation this past week where you can see the Ripple Effect. How did that circumstance come about? What was your role in it? What kind of an impact did your words or actions have on the people involved? Is there something you need to go back and correct? Maybe you witnessed someone make a powerful, positive Ripple Effect and you need to go and express how much you appreciated the way they handled things?  Finally, as you head into the weekend and next week, how could you be mindful of the Ripple Effect you are having and make some intentional choices about the kind of Ripple Effect you want to make?

Here's to being mindful of the Ripple Effect we are making in the world!

Be Well,

Stephen

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