A ripple effect is something we often don’t know we have created, nor do we truly have a sense of its potential reach. Occasionally, we get a glimpse of it through the words or actions that come back to us through the echo of an event’s enormity or through the expanding awareness of a cause.
Can you change the world? Yes, you can, but it first starts with you and looking inside to what motivates, inspires, and fuels your passion. What is the burning ‘yes’ inside you? Are you ready to wow the world and create a massive ripple effect?
Many of us look to make our world a better place, but don’t know where or how to start. It can feel overwhelming to balance work, family, volunteer efforts, as well as personal goals.
My guest on this week’s episode of Your Authentic Life is Amanda Knapp, Vice-President, Wealth Advisor & Financial Planner at RBC Wealth Management – Dominion Securities, who shares her inspiring story of overcoming major life challenges while seeking ways to find balance, manage boundaries, and bring her dream to life.
Though our interview, we discuss methods and suggestions for ensuring that you allow your dreams to have a place in your daily life. This means creating time for them and scheduling opportunities to dream, create, engage, and implement.
Amanda provides a host of practical tips for learning to say ‘no’ to experiences that don’t drive your goals forward and don’t provide ways to make the most of your day in healthy and positive ways. To hear all of the my interview with Amanda, please listen to Your Authentic Life on VoiceAmerica’s Empowerment Channel. My show airs every Wednesday at 2pm ET or 11am PT.
To supplement Amanda’s suggestions, here are my top tips for creating your own ripple effect.
1) Let it start withIN you. The 12th century Sufi poet Rumi wrote, “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself first.” Look within through quiet reflection and mindful awareness to explore your actions and why you want to make a difference. When your motivation comes authentically from your inner Self, you’ll find an easier path to creating a lasting ripple effect.
2) Focus on your top goals and create specific milestones. Make time to map out what you want to do what the key steps are to getting there. No matter how lofty, every goal starts with a mental creation before its physical creation.
3) Plan daily and learn to say ‘no’ compassionately. Once you have mapped out your goals with specific timelines, place the associated tasks in your daily schedule. This way you’ll ensure they get center stage and have a better chance of being accomplished. Learning to say no isn’t easy, but if you find a way to do so compassionately and with clarity, you’ll find that others will be more apt to readily accept your answer with greater understanding and less push back.
4) Continually engage with positive people and share your dream. Nay sayers and negative influencers may rob you of energy you need to harness to move your goals and dreams forward. The more you surround yourself with positive influencers, the greater your potential to enhance the size of your ripple effect.
5) Be consistent with your message and your personal brand. Are your actions consistent or is there room for misinterpretation. By going back to point 1) and looking within, you’ll become more aware of your motivation and if you are authentically and purposefully engaging in activities that reflect your intended message.
6) Be open to feedback and ready to embrace change when needed. Sometimes what you want changes. By staying curiously detached from the outcome, you may find that something bigger and better lies in store.
This last point holds a significant relevance for Amanda and the work she has done as the founder of Women of Waterloo Region (WOW). WOW started in 2009 as an annual event recognizing outstanding contributions women made to society. This platform grew to attendance of over 400 in 2014 donating thousands to the United Way of Kitchener-Waterloo. It has evolved into WOWtheworld⢠launching in 2015 spotlighting stories of men, women and youth. During our interview, Amanda discusses why the change happened.
I invite you to watch Emma Watson’s speech on Feminism for the United Nations. Watson pushes back against recent campaigns like Women Against Feminism in favour of promoting both genders in the HeForShe campaign.
Great ideas can be made better when you stay open, curious, and courageously detached thereby allowing for the size of your ripple effect to expand exponentially.
