Day two as an HC Conservationist has me creating vital piece of any organization/cause/business in the 21st Century...building a Facebook page. Creating an online presence is always a bit intimidating. Will anyone visit my site or FB page? Will they really want to read my rambling thoughts? What will grab their attention? What will inspire them to make a new connection today or look at an individual with a different perspective? And how can I make it look polished instead of shoddy? Then I remember to just ignore the voices in my head and do what moves me. It is simple. Start with the quote that has been hanging from my computer screen for the last few years...
In today's world where we are pulled in all different directions, bombarded with demands on our time and requested for donations to countless causes it can be easy to shut down and avoid giving altogether. But every time I am on the receiving end of what is listed in the quote my spirit is always lifted. And the same is true when I have been the one to give. The truth of this quote is undeniable.
There are a zillions of examples I could ramble off, but I will share a small one that still makes me smile every time I think of it. Last spring, after frantically getting dressed, telling myself how much I hated every piece of clothing in my closet because I had worn everything way too much, I ran out my door wearing a favorite 5 yr old skirt a friend had gave me for my birthday with a top from the previous summer. I had never worn the two together, but they both had orange in them so I was proud of trying to pull something new out of my tired closet. Midway through my morning I made a quick, unplanned stop for a coffee. As I was heading out the door w/ cup in hand, I heard a man from behind me say, "You look beautiful in that outfit." At first I didn't think he was talking to me. Then I thought it may be a little weird coming from a stranger, much less a man. Then I thought, just turn around and say, "Thank you." And so I did turned around and found was greeted by a warm smile. After expressing my thanks, I shared w/ him my morning closet dilemma and how his compliment was just what I needed and his out of the blue compliment had made my day. I walked back to my car feeling much happier about the day than when I had walked into the coffee shop.
It was a very simple exchange. He was not motivated to share his compliment to receive something more in return and the outcome was not tangible. But he really did make my day in that 30 second exchange. And that morning has stayed with me for over a year. I feel like amazing connections can happen every day. They can last 20 seconds or 20 years. You just never know. What I know is how great it is to receive someone's small acts of caring or thoughtfulness so why shouldn't I give what I do the same for others?
Many times people tell me, "I don't need any more friends, so why would I talk to someone I don't know?" "I don't have time in the day to stand and talk to someone for a few minutes." "There are so many bad people in the world, you really have to be careful who you talk to..."
It is my belief that 99.5+% people in the world are good people. And like Leo Buscaglia said...
There are a zillions of examples I could ramble off, but I will share a small one that still makes me smile every time I think of it. Last spring, after frantically getting dressed, telling myself how much I hated every piece of clothing in my closet because I had worn everything way too much, I ran out my door wearing a favorite 5 yr old skirt a friend had gave me for my birthday with a top from the previous summer. I had never worn the two together, but they both had orange in them so I was proud of trying to pull something new out of my tired closet. Midway through my morning I made a quick, unplanned stop for a coffee. As I was heading out the door w/ cup in hand, I heard a man from behind me say, "You look beautiful in that outfit." At first I didn't think he was talking to me. Then I thought it may be a little weird coming from a stranger, much less a man. Then I thought, just turn around and say, "Thank you." And so I did turned around and found was greeted by a warm smile. After expressing my thanks, I shared w/ him my morning closet dilemma and how his compliment was just what I needed and his out of the blue compliment had made my day. I walked back to my car feeling much happier about the day than when I had walked into the coffee shop.
It was a very simple exchange. He was not motivated to share his compliment to receive something more in return and the outcome was not tangible. But he really did make my day in that 30 second exchange. And that morning has stayed with me for over a year. I feel like amazing connections can happen every day. They can last 20 seconds or 20 years. You just never know. What I know is how great it is to receive someone's small acts of caring or thoughtfulness so why shouldn't I give what I do the same for others?
Many times people tell me, "I don't need any more friends, so why would I talk to someone I don't know?" "I don't have time in the day to stand and talk to someone for a few minutes." "There are so many bad people in the world, you really have to be careful who you talk to..."
It is my belief that 99.5+% people in the world are good people. And like Leo Buscaglia said...
You never know when magic can happen through a connection or the impact you can have on a person. The man who shared his nice thought with me outside of a coffee shop probably moved on with the rest of his day and forgot about me, but I will never forget about him!! This example may seem trivial and I have had countless random connections that did result in more tangible outcomes for my work, my health, my knowledge base and even long term friendships, but trivial or not, each connection has impact and they make my life's journey so much better!
Today, I completed my first job task...the Facebook page is now live. I would be grateful if you can check it out, perhaps give it a thumbs up and start spreading the news. I am never going to underestimate the power of small gestures..I know great things can happen and I hope you will be a part of it with me!
I would like to send a big thank you to Kyle Shepard of Teak Creative for the work he has done for me with The WMB which I am extending to Human Connectivity Conservation.
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