Many times in life, I’ve questioned my own importance and my place in the world. Or if I even have a place in the world. It’s not too far from people wanting to know their purpose. So, just in wanting to know your purpose, it signifies that you want your existence to mean something. That you want to make an impact on the world around you.
What is I told you that just your existence makes a difference? You hold space in this world and the things around you shift in response. I’m referring to a concept like the butterfly effect, in which a small change has potential to make a large impact. Whether your driving or in a public place, you are causing change in movements of those around you. At a traffic light, your presence can cause the person behind you to miss the green light. What if that person was already running late for work but rushing to avoid being late and getting through that light on time made the difference? So, now there could be consequences for that person. Or maybe you got in line just in time to buy the last ticket for an event and everyone behind you now has to change their plans. Everything has an effect, It just keeps going down the line. These are just a couple of examples of how we can the movements of those around us.
Now, lets throw in our personal interactions with people. How we present ourselves, how we speak, and what we say has an impact on how others feel around us. Let’s say you go for coffee and the shop is packed and the barista is clearly stressed. Just having some patience while you wait for your drink can provide some ease for the employees. A simple smile at a stranger has potential to improve their mood, which could also improve their day. And you might just get a smile back. Saying something positive can shift someones perspective. A lot of times we wont know how we have changed someones day for the better but it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
During my time waiting tables in a breakfast restaurant, a co-worker was going through a break up and really struggling with it. As I was leaving for the day, I said something to her along the lines of “see ya later, beautiful” and went on my way. She later expressed to me that I’d made her feel a little better, when I called her beautiful. In a way, complimenting her sent her some love when she was feeling anything but. Some time later, I went through a break up and because I was having such a hard time with it, management thought I didn’t want my job anymore. That same co-worker defended me and I believe she is the reason they didn’t let me go.
It’s hard to move about the world without some type of interactions, especially if you have employment that requires you to work with others. If we know that we are inevitably making a change by showing up, we cant forget that the “how” we show up is vital, too. It’s just part of it. We have a choice, every moment, to make it a positive or negative one. Whether you feel that you are important or not (and feelings can lie to us), just know that you are. You are a part of the world, you are here. You create change with everything you do and it’s your choice how you do it.