Daily Question, August 8 How might I commit to living today with the knowledge that all that I do has an impact on the world? 45 Reflections Share Click here to cancel reply.Please log in or Create a Profile to post a comment. Notify me when someone replies to my comment via e-mail. Susan P1 month agoSusan PThis Word for the Day that came into my inbox last week really made me stop and think about whether I could do this for a full day - be open to all the emotions, all the people, all the situations I encounter, without closing down, and trusting that I could do that - and trying to do this for a day made me realize how powerful an impact I have. It took a lot of energy to keep this top of mind and to remain dedicated to the effort but I definitely saw that it made a difference in my day and, I be...This Word for the Day that came into my inbox last week really made me stop and think about whether I could do this for a full day – be open to all the emotions, all the people, all the situations I encounter, without closing down, and trusting that I could do that – and trying to do this for a day made me realize how powerful an impact I have. It took a lot of energy to keep this top of mind and to remain dedicated to the effort but I definitely saw that it made a difference in my day and, I believe, in the days of the people I encountered. It was a great experience and reminded me that a positive action no matter how small, can spark great connection and energy. I’m trying to keep this practice in my mind and heart every day. WORD FOR THE DAY If your everyday practice is to open to all your emotions, to all the people you meet, to all the situations you encounter, without closing down, trusting that you can do that — then that will take you as far as you can go. And then you’ll understand all the teachings that anyone has ever taught. PEMA CHÖDRÖN Read More0 Reply Anonymous1 month agoAnonymousI commit to living in gratitude 2 Reply Don Jones1 month agoDon JonesCarl Sagan reminded us that we all share a seat on spaceship Earth. An increased awareness of our place in this creation brings with it an awe (a very special emotion) which ushers in care and compassion for our place on this tiny, fragile pale blue dot. It puts all of the other nonsense into perspective. 4 Reply pkr1 month agopkrI try to “sow good seeds” everyday, have been doing this for quite awhile now. I silently bless those who cross my path. I cannot change the world but I can affect my neighborhood, my world with acts of love & kindness. I hope my love will be a ripple…..❤️🙏❤️ 4 Reply Hjt1 month agoHjtI am praying to be a more compassionate and kind person. My friend just let me know how grateful she was that I listened. It reminded me I did not have to be the fix it person. I learn so much from my friend who is going to be 90. 5 Reply Linda1 month agoLindaI believe I live like this every day. I am very aware of my footprint on the earth, and I make daily adjustments to ensure it is a light one. 4 Reply Cathie1 month agoCathieTry to live truly present at every moment and be aware the ripples of my thoughts and actions. This may help me commit to realizing the impact my thoughts and actions have on the world. 4 Reply Carol1 month agoCarolI just read a powerful article on this very subject. I hope it is OK to share the link here. It is so worth your time. https://charterforcompassion.org/charter-blog/tale-of-tattered-edges?utm_source=newsletter_1881&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=a-tale-of-tattered-edges 2 Reply Mica1 month agoMicaThank you, Carol – ‘Charter for Compassion’ rings dim bells in my memory – started by Karen Armstrong in 2008! Regarding your link – I failed to post a post several times and was told, when I asked, that spam filters removed posts with words in them such as the name of a major search engine. YOur post obviously passed that test ok 🙂 1 Reply Carol1 month agoCarolMica, Thanks for letting me know about the spam issues…hope you found the article helpful. 2 Reply orozcoj131 month agoorozcoj13I can commit to living today with mindfulness and taking moments to realize how interconnected we all are. How the sun shines and wakes up the earth. How my smile can help others to smile. How my food was gathered and arrived as meal ready. 3 Reply Barb C1 month agoBarb CSeveral years ago some workshop I attended had us choose a word from a long list of adjectives and adverbs that represented how we approach our work. I still have the stick-um on the edge of my monitor: WHOLEHEARTEDLY I make the commitment in this question every day and this is knowledge I'm always aware of. It's what motivates me in my work in active transportation, to save lives and make the world a better place for more people, especially those who bear the deepest burdens of our car-centr...Several years ago some workshop I attended had us choose a word from a long list of adjectives and adverbs that represented how we approach our work. I still have the stick-um on the edge of my monitor: WHOLEHEARTEDLY I make the commitment in this question every day and this is knowledge I’m always aware of. It’s what motivates me in my work in active transportation, to save lives and make the world a better place for more people, especially those who bear the deepest burdens of our car-centric system grounded in racist redlining decisions. Rabbit’s answer, “Be quieter with the negative and louder with the positive,” is another part of the attitude or approach I try to bring to that work to encourage people to think of themselves as on a team working together toward a better future. And then there’s all the rest of my life, and things like donating to candidates and causes who represent my beliefs so they can work for systemic or structural change beyond my reach. Wholeheartedly. Read More3 Reply Mica1 month agoMicaI like your word, Barb – my laptop stand has ‘COMPASSION’ taped to it, along with copies of a bunch of emojis in a large and a small version. My granddaughter observed that, obviously, the appropriate word was COMPARISON, not COMPASSION, but Comparison wasn’t the word I wanted to remember 🙂 1 Reply Chester1 month agoChesterIntentionally – not reactively, ensuring my actions are shaped by what I see as good and right, rather than the easiest in the moment. 3 Reply GR8FULL1 month agoGR8FULLToday I will live in the present and be aware of my words and actions. As I try to do every day, I engage with the universe with love and compassion in my heart. As my father used to say, God rest his soul, “Now go out there and spread some Goodwill around the world.” I firmly believe the Goodwill I spread trickles down and out into the world. For Example - if I put a smile on my girlfriend’s face she will hopefully be happier and more optimistic during her conversation with her sister...Today I will live in the present and be aware of my words and actions. As I try to do every day, I engage with the universe with love and compassion in my heart. As my father used to say, God rest his soul, “Now go out there and spread some Goodwill around the world.” I firmly believe the Goodwill I spread trickles down and out into the world. For Example – if I put a smile on my girlfriend’s face she will hopefully be happier and more optimistic during her conversation with her sister in California. If that should spread to her sister, who touches the lives of 5 other people today – around the world, my easy and simple acts of kindness will have an impact on the world today. Read More2 Reply Charlie T1 month agoCharlie TBy being engaged and present, and fully participating in the moment. And by sharing of myself without fear. 3 Reply Yram1 month agoYramI am a firm believer that what I do effects others. I may be a drop but that water body is bigger because of my drop. 3 Reply Laura1 month agoLauraI saw this question on a personal rather than global level. I make an effort to treat with respect and compassion anyone who calls our legal office. I know how irritating it is in my own life when someone sounds bored or impatient with my call. Even if we can’t help a caller I try to at least make them feel as though they’ve been heard. 6 Reply Mica1 month agoMicaLaura, those who call your legal office are lucky to have you respond with respect and compassion. 🙂 I’m guessing they don’t always feel that way when they call your office! 😐 1 Reply Rabbit1 month agoRabbitBe quieter with the negative and louder with the positive. 5 Reply EJP1 month agoEJPToday I commit to living with pure kindness, compassion and love to all. 3 Reply Kevin1 month agoKevinI am already aware that most everything I do has some kind of an impact on the world, and some of that impact is not very good at all, unfortunately. I am thinking about my carbon footprint, the non- recyclable waste I create in spite of my efforts to reuse and recycle. The relatively affluent society in which I live, I am ashamed to say, exacts a toll on our world’s resources that negatively impacts the lives of people thousands of miles away from me whom I will never see or know. That’s an...I am already aware that most everything I do has some kind of an impact on the world, and some of that impact is not very good at all, unfortunately. I am thinking about my carbon footprint, the non- recyclable waste I create in spite of my efforts to reuse and recycle. The relatively affluent society in which I live, I am ashamed to say, exacts a toll on our world’s resources that negatively impacts the lives of people thousands of miles away from me whom I will never see or know. That’s an impact I am not proud of. Read More5 Reply Barb C1 month agoBarb CThis, and what Rabbit said about needing business to change. Our carbon footprint is real and yet we control so little of it. The whole concept was dreamed up by the oil industry's PR machine to make us feel guilty and focus on our own actions, not whether we should pressure companies and elected officials for structural change. More on this by Rebecca Solnit https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/23/big-oil-coined-carbon-footprints-to-blame-us-for-their-greed-keep-them-on-the-hook, ...This, and what Rabbit said about needing business to change. Our carbon footprint is real and yet we control so little of it. The whole concept was dreamed up by the oil industry’s PR machine to make us feel guilty and focus on our own actions, not whether we should pressure companies and elected officials for structural change. More on this by Rebecca Solnit https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/23/big-oil-coined-carbon-footprints-to-blame-us-for-their-greed-keep-them-on-the-hook, with this really powerful line: “Too, the goal of personal virtue is merely not to be part of the problem.” I still make many decisions to reduce my own impact so I’m not saying it isn’t worth paying attention to. Read More3 Reply Kevin1 month agoKevinAgree totally with your perspective, Barb. 3 Reply Rabbit1 month agoRabbitI like that we all try but I think it will take business to change to really make a difference. I worked for a cereal manufacturer. The hourly workers in the plant wanted to fill the box within an inch of the top regardless of the weight. Management became angry and made sure only the stated ounces were in the bag. This has been many years ago but I remember it every time I open a cereal box, crackers, or chips and see all the empty space. It is a terrible waste of so many things. For a while, s...I like that we all try but I think it will take business to change to really make a difference. I worked for a cereal manufacturer. The hourly workers in the plant wanted to fill the box within an inch of the top regardless of the weight. Management became angry and made sure only the stated ounces were in the bag. This has been many years ago but I remember it every time I open a cereal box, crackers, or chips and see all the empty space. It is a terrible waste of so many things. For a while, stockholders were interested in the environment but I do not know if this has continued. Read More2 Reply Kevin1 month agoKevinSo very true, Rabbit. Though I will say that some large corporations do an excellent job at reducing their carbon footprint and reducing waste. Just wish that all of them did as well. 2 Reply Mica1 month agoMicaAnd it’s good for me to remember that I can’t just blame Big Business and do nothing myself, which would be a ‘convenient’ attitude to take. 😐 1 Reply Lee Anne1 month agoLee AnneThe world is large and fraught with problems. It is not possible for me to impact the world. What I can do is smile at others often, including myself, be kind, and be mindful of the intentions of my thoughts, speech, and actions. Give back to Mother Earth. Enjoy the gifts of this day, and always stand in gratitude. 6 Reply Kevin1 month agoKevinBeautifully stated, thank you, Lee Anne! 2 Reply Maria Martins1 month agoMaria MartinsDear Michelle, I believe you can impact the world by doing exactly as you said. By impacting your neighbors, your family, the people around you, by contributing for a better planet and being kind, you are changing the world in your own way 🙂 2 Reply Michele1 month agoMicheleI think you meant to write Lee Anne as your reply is under her reflection:) 0 Reply Michele1 month agoMicheleI’m proud that I feel this way because I work for a Tissue Bank. Because of donors, we help save lives and improve the lives of others through organ and tissue donation. On a personal level, I continue to be positive, kind, and grateful. 8 Reply Barb C1 month agoBarb CThat’s wonderful. Long ago I checked that box on my driver’s license application to be an organ donor and it’s been there ever since. I’m signed up with Be the Match bone marrow registry as well. About 3 years ago or so I was amazed to learn that my stepson was donating bone marrow, as a 20-something college student helping save someone else’s life. Such a gift, and it only happens through your work and others like you. Thank you for your service. 3 Reply Michele1 month agoMicheleThank you for your reply. That’s great news! Each month we read recipient letters that are so incredibly heart warming. 0 Reply Rabbit1 month agoRabbitOh my, Michele, you do make a difference. What an amazing and loving career you have. Thank you. You are making a difference in the lives of people on this site too. 2 Reply Michele1 month agoMicheleThank you. I really do love my job:) 0 Reply 1 2 Next » My Private Gratitude Journal Write an entry in your private gratefulness journal Get Started This site is brought to you by A Network for Grateful Living, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are fully tax deductible in the U.S.A. DONATE https://gratefulness.org/content/uploads/2015/03/GX-Gold-Participant-L.png Community Engagement Guidelines Privacy Policy [email protected] Connect with us on Social Media: © 2000 - 2022, A Network for Grateful Living Website by Briteweb
