You are probably aware of the obvious and immediate impact you have on others but have you ever considered the hidden impact of what you choose to think, feel, say and do?

A few weeks ago some neighbours put some household items out for the twice-monthly collection. They neatly stacked 2 large armchairs and various other items on the nature strip next to an access road (to 4 large blocks of units) that borders our property … exactly where it was required to be for our council to collect it on the designated day.

Sometime in the wee small hours of Saturday morning, I was woken up by loud voices and noises (not unusual around here on the weekend, so I went back to sleep). It seems some late-going-home or early-rising people decided to scatter the chairs and other items all across the access road creating a blockade for the cars, bikes and prams etc. that use it.

Next morning, I could hear (and feel) a kerfuffle outside and when I looked, I saw the stuff blocking the road and a very angry driver, trying to move it out of the way so he could get on his way. Next, a delivery truck could not easily get up the road because the chairs were in the way, so he squeezed through and scraped his truck on the fence! A few more people got involved and the energy was quite heated. The stuff got moved a bit out of the way until someone else came along and moved it a bit more and on it went for most of the day.

Wow! Look at the hidden yet pervasive impact of that one choice – to scatter the rubbish – on a whole bunch of people. I got disturbed from a sound sleep, a man got held up and became frustrated and angry, a delivery driver damaged his van and other neighbours got involved to move all the rubbish back to the nature strip so it could be collected.

Whoever did this probably did not stop to consider how it might impact a whole bunch of people, and then a whole bunch more … after all “they” were only having a bit of fun … yet how do you think the “angry” man’s day panned out, or the delivery driver who scraped his van, or the many other people walking around the roadblock or grumbling and being annoyed … the impact just kept on going … all for a “harmless bit of fun” …

It became clear to me (again) HOW I create the whole of my own reality and that every choice I make has an immediate obvious impact and a not-so-immediate hidden impact. Which then leads to other people making choices that then impact others and on it goes. Every time I choose to do something without considering the consequences, the impact can create a chain of emotions that then continue to impact others.

We are all connected and ALL my choices have impact. It sure pays to consciously choose the impact I want to have and be aware of ALL the impact I am actually creating.

Here we go again…

Another year has almost passed and many people are getting ready to wind down for a well-earned Christmas holiday break. Please note: I did not say rest … because for most, restful is not what these next few weeks are really all about. It’s a time of busyness and getting everything “done by Christmas” … a crazy notion that rears its ugly head every year about this time. And as the deadline looms, people become more anxious and joy, peace and love fly out the window.

Recognise anyone you know?

It doesn’t have to be this way. You can put joy, peace and love right back into the mix if you are willing to stop … take a breath … and relax … and choose …

Remember, this time of year (like every other time) is whatever YOU decide it is for you. It’s a perfect time to decide how you would like to be in relationship to anyone and everyone no matter what else is going on. It’s an ideal time to heal old hurts and resolve old conflicts – particularly with family – and it’s a time when you can choose a different response to the one you had last year (or last century!)

Of course you always have this choice and there is something about this time of year that makes it easier. People are more aware of the importance of being kind and acting with love and compassion – peace and goodwill towards all men – and this has a snowball effect … the more you give love and joy the more love and joy you get to experience and the more you give, the more you receive.

Choose to give joy, peace and love to yourself, to the ones you love and to the ones you don’t this Christmas and experience the miracle of giving joy to the world.

I was given a pair of bright pink thongs (flip-flops to some) for Christmas. Now, as an adult, I am not one who usually wears this great iconic summer footwear, so decided to step outside my comfort zone (couldn’t resist this one!) and give the thongs a go. Little did I know I was embarking on a daily adventure in embracing discomfort!

When I was child, thongs were made of soft, squishy, sponge-like rubber. These new pink thongs certainly looked soft and squishy but when I put them on and walked a few steps, it felt like I was walking on sharp stones. The little plugs underneath that hold the straps in place are made of hard, solid plastic (not soft rubber) so each time I put my weight on them, they hurt my feet! I considered relegating them to the back of the wardrobe and resorting to my oh, so, comfy Crocs when I realised that these thongs presented me with an opportunity to learn how I respond (and react) to being uncomfortable!

So for the past few weeks I have worn my thongs every chance I get. I wear them outside and inside, to the beach and just walking around. And I have been acutely aware not only of my physical discomfort but also my mental and emotional discomfort that certainly exacerbates the physical pain. And I have noticed the many and varied ways I have of avoiding, managing and resisting being uncomfortable. When I agree with my head chatter that says it’s too hard to wear these thongs, they hurt etc, etc, I find the experience almost unbearable. Yet when I remember that I am choosing to wear them, that I have many other choices available to me and yet I still put these things on my feet each morning, I find myself relaxing into the thongs, allowing myself to feel and be with the experience and the pain simply disappears.

There you have it. A simple little lesson in being with what is so, taking responsibility for ALL my choices and allowing myself to fully experience all that I have chosen. When I do this, everything is easier and more flowing and I find my comfort zone expands.

As I sit here, wearing my pink thongs I am reminded not to underestimate how the little things in life can be such powerful catalysts for personal growth.