Making a Difference – TPW049

Do you want to make a difference in the world, or at least in the world closest to you? I do. A quote I read on Facebook (of all places) recently inspired me to think about what kind of difference I want to make, and what changes I might need to make for that to happen.

Everybody makes a difference . . .

This quote popped up last week in my Facebook news feed. It made me stop and think, and has stuck with me:

Everyone makes a difference. The question is what kind of difference are you going to make.”

Andy Andrews

What kind of difference will you make?

We can make a positive difference, or a negative one. I don’t think our presence in the world is ever going to just be neutral. What do you think?

What arenas can you make a difference in?

If we know we want to make a positive difference, where do we want to make that difference? We can make a difference in our job or profession, in our families, in the community, or in the world at large, by how we interact with the people we come in contact with.

How can we make a difference?

We can do something big and audacious, or something very small (look the store clerk in the eye when we speak to her?). We can affect the masses, or one person. We can encourage others to achieve their potential or follow their dreams–but first we have to pay close enough attention to see their potential or know what their dreams are. We can be an example of perseverance or “dream-following” by simply living our lives in a way that’s consistent with the things we value.

You absolutely never know who is watching you or drawing from your strength so they can find the courage to move on. You may not even know or see these people who depend on you to stay the course.”

my cousin Connie, on Facebook

The greatest opportunities to make a real, lasting, positive difference come in the relationships we have with other people.

What stops us from making a difference?

Laziness?

Distraction or lack of focus?

Taking the wrong approach? Talking louder won’t make me more influential–check out this article on why it might not be particularly effective to take a stand on issues on Facebook.

The most likely reason is fear: What if I fail? What if people laugh at me?

Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all. From now on, you’ll be traveling the road between who you think you are and who you can be. The key is to allow yourself to make the journey.”

from The Princess Diaries

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please share in the comments below or email me.

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