Donna Highfill
  • Home
  • About
    • About Donna
    • What People Are Saying
    • My Other Blogs
      • Dame Nation Blog
      • Huffington Post
  • Services
    • Power Up BUSINESS
    • Coaching
  • Books and Tools
  • Blog
    • Fave Products
  • Contact Me

Small Things = Big Impact

Donna HighfillBlogNo commentsAugust 20, 2014

Get onto your computer every morning to review the news, and your energy will be gone by 8:30 a.m. Every horrible event and natural disaster is right there for you, ready to take your power away.

Here’s the deal – there’s a lot more good going on than bad. There are small favors being done and actions being taken on a minute-by-minute basis. Does it make up for the horrors of war? No. Does it stop the latest natural disaster? Doubtful.

Accepting the Things We Cannot Change

We have to save our energy for the controllables, so that we can positively impact our tiny piece of the world.

But so much of our strength is zapped by the fear of events that we might never experience. For example:

  • How many of us deal with natural disasters on a daily basis? Or have dealt with a natural disaster in our lifetime?
  • How many of us have been in a war zone? Ever?

If we snap at a friend or co-worker because we’re depressed over the war in Syria, how has this improved life for anyone concerned? Can you help the war in Syria? If so, do it. If not, let it go.

The butterfly theory says that a butterfly flapping his wings in one country can cause a tornado in another. Research shows that times of great emotional turmoil are always accompanied by horrible weather. Maybe we turn that around by helping others, smiling more, criticizing each other less.

I know it sounds all Mary Poppins-ish, but it’s true. Our planet survives based on balance, and so does our emotional well-being. And don’t diss on Mary Poppins.  Look how grouchy that family was before she showed up. They wouldn’t even take their medicine. 🙂

To Change the Things We Can 

Whether you help a colleague at work or take time with your kids or share a positive story on Facebook, it makes a difference.

Below is a link to a wonderful story about a woman whose van was stolen (it gets better). She left her cell phone in the van, so she sent the person who stole it a message explaining her family situation and asking him to return it.

You have to read it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/18/mom-texts-car-thief-gets-van-back_n_5688837.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl12%7Csec3_lnk4%26pLid%3D517237

Now, Change the World

Hopefully, you haven’t stolen anyone’s van, but there’s always a way to make someone’s life better.

Yesterday, I snapped at a restaurant host for no good reason. He handled it with gritted teeth. I asked to speak to his manager, and from his refusal to look at me I’m pretty sure he thought I was going to give the manager a negative report. Instead, I walked up to the manager and said, “I was rude to your host, and he handled it professionally. I just wanted to let you know that he did a good job.”

I don’t know that creating a negative situation and then trying to fix it counts, but at least I tried.

If you have a positive story about helping someone, or a situation where your day was changed by someone else’s action, please share it in the comments below.

Then let’s all power up by changing the things we can.

 

 

 

Tags: Change, donna highfill, inspiration, motivation, sales

Related Articles

Valuing Our Time

October 16, 2015Donna Highfill

Change 9: Change & Clarity

October 6, 2010Andrew

2 Reasons Change Needs a Forest of Support

November 14, 2011Andrew

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Learn How to Tell a Better Story and Achieve Success!

Sign up below to receive 48 FREE Energizing Messages.

Connect with Me

Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Recent Posts

  • A Cab Driver Who Appeared as if from Nowhere
  • Here’s Some Honesty For You
  • Laughter is My Hero
  • A New Year in Old Clothes
  • Why I Will Face the Fall

CHECK OUT MY BOOK

highfillcover

As a leader, do you implement change only to watch the projects, processes and initiatives stall because you can’t get the people driving them to change? In my new book Real People, Real Change: Stories of a Change Warrior in the Business World I share real stories to illustrate how leaders can move people to action.

Archives

Where Donna Will Be Speaking Next

  • April 22, 2015 - SunTrust Women's Networking Group
  • April 23, 2015 - SunTrust Women's Networking Group
  • May 12, 2015 - LPGA Championship, Kingsmill, Williamsburg VA
  • May 21, 2015 - Education Association of Fundraising Professionals, Eerie, PA

Certified_hi-res

mbti_certified
huffbadge

Learn How to Tell a Better Story and Achieve Success!

Sign up below to receive 48 FREE Energizing Messages.

Recent Posts

  • A Cab Driver Who Appeared as if from Nowhere August 9, 2017
  • Here’s Some Honesty For You March 16, 2017
  • Laughter is My Hero January 10, 2017

Contact Me

804-370-6665
[email protected]
  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
  • About Donna
  • Contact Me
Copyright Donna Highfill 2014