Do you know, small acts can have great impact! When I spoke with Maria Bailey on her Ordinary Habits, Extraordinary Life podcast, we spoke of how we regularly underestimate our ability to have an impact on those around us. Specifically, an ex-mentee I hadn’t seen in years, had just given me a shoutout on LInkedIn for helping him one year prior. It was such a delightful thing! And a humble reminder of the positivity I can bring to others. So read on for 3 ways to increase your impact now.
1. Follow your intuition.
If you’re a data-driven person like me, you like logic and reason. So when your intuition perks up, you may have a tendency to ignore or stifle it. But listen: your intuition is the amalgamation of your experiences, insights, and knowledge. So, when it tells you to pay attention, do it!
When I first bought Lia dinner, that’s all it was. A meal for a hurting, rain-soaked girl. Yet, quite naturally, that one dinner turned into an overnight, then two… then a few weeks and then a few months! My intuition led me to help a hurting girl. At that point, I would never had assumed I would bring home a battered roommate. But in fact, that’s just what happened. And Lia both enriched my life that year, and taught me at an early age about my ability to have an impact.
2. Ask the question.
“Is there anything I can do for you?” You’re not supposing they need help. You’re not placing a label on them, or putting them in a box. Rather, you’re making an open-ended, service-minded inquiry.
You see, here’s what I’ve learned to do. I start every morning NOT on my phone. After turning off my alarm, I think ahead to the day, letting my mind wander as I review my priorities. Inevitably, something I’d forgotten will come to mind, or someone I haven’t seen in a while will pop into my head. When the latter happens, I reach out.
You’ll be amazed! Nine times out of ten, I get a response: “You don’t know how much I needed that right now,” or “How did you know?! Do you have a few minutes?” What an awesome way to start the day.
3. Take the challenge.
What if, for one week, every time you had an impulse to reach out to someone… you did?
What if, for this week, every time someone caught your eye, you got over the weirdness and approached a stranger?
Take the one-week kindness challenge and you’ll see… feel… experience your impact grow!
Thanks to Maria Bailey for the discussion that inspired this on your Ordinary Habits, Extraordinary Life podcast.
To listen to our full conversation, click here.
And for more of my podcasts, go to this page.
Photo credit: rock splash