The Ripple Effect in Life

I've always been a very positive, upbeat person. In fact, my nickname in high school was Smiley. I still get many compliments on my smile. :) Some people tease me about "being so happy all the time," but I can't help it -- it's just the way I am. No. Let me restate that -- it's the way I choose to be.

I realize I have the power to make my life what I want it to be; and I realize it's my actions that create my happiness, not the actions of others.

Have you ever heard about the Ripple Effect Theory? Master Life Coach David Essel talked about it the other day in class, and it really struck a chord with me. The Ripple Effect theory states that every thought and every action ripples from us and affects the world -- positive or negative.

Let's go back to the phone incident, where I was a bit rude and impatient wtih "Amy." Had I not called her back to apologize, she might have been crabby for the rest of the day. She might have been short with her co-workers and other callers; she might not have done a good job at work for the rest of that day; she might have been short with her husband and children. She might have had a hard time sleeping that night. I could have had all of this negative energy going on, as well, because I felt guilty for being rude.

On the positive side, what happens when we are dishing out good vibes? The day I called Amy back to apologize, I felt really good about the ordeal. In the end, I did the right thing. As a result, everyone I came into contact with that day felt my positive energy and saw my smile, I was productive with my work, I enjoyed my evening with my children and my husband, and I slept great that night! As a result, everyone in my life felt good too.

I think we don't always realize how our bad moods impact our families -- especially our children -- you know, the ones we're trying to raise into healthy, happy members of society. :) They feel every bit of our unrest and unhappiness, and it affects them. I would feel terrible if I was crabby with Tyler one evening and caused him to sleep poorly -- what if that caused him to do bad on a test at school the next day? That's not the kind of mom I want to be!

I'm not saying we should all walk around pretending life is peachy all the time. But, it's important for us to deal with what is bothering us, so we can be a positive source of energy to everyone we come into contact with!

Need help learning how to "deal" with what is bothering you? You need a life coach! But, until then, I'll write about the technique another day! Stay tuned!