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Friday, April 20, 2018

R is for Ripples #AtoZChallenge




Today's guest post is by Jamie Dorner of the blog uniquelymaladjustedbutfun.blogspot.com. She's a four time participant in the challenge, cousin-in-law to A to Z captain J Lenni Dorner, and one of the biggest fans of my adult choose-your-adventure book, "Runaway." Welcome, Jamie!



Thanks, Jayden!


I'm writing this guest post because of two posts I saw on the Facebook wall of my nephew.

I'm not the person my parents raised me to be.
You have your whole life to be the best person you can be. Each day is a present, an opportunity to do one nice thing for someone else. It adds up. Or a chance to do the wrong thing. That adds up, too. Setting goals and planning for "someday" is great, but don't forget to make this day count. The tiniest thing can make a huge difference.
You can be who your parents raised you to be. You can be whatever sort of person you want to be. It isn't usually about the big choices in life, but the small ones—they're what makes ripples in a pond.

Photo by Olivier Fahrni on Unsplash

Even the most famous, richest, smartest, and prettiest people can still feel there is someone better than them, that they are replaceable. Self-confidence is a lifelong journey, not a destination. It's not about being better than someone ELSE; it's about always working toward being the best version of yourself. That's hard. That's the challenge that everyone faces every day with nearly every choice. The path to becoming whoever you want to be one day starts with those choices.
My blog is easily replaceable. Look at how many people are in the A to Z Challenge! We all have ideas and opinions to share. Maybe I've never thought a thought that's never been thought before. And if that's so, then maybe my blog and I aren't special.
On the other hand, maybe I'll offer something of value to my readers. Maybe I'll give someone a new idea, spark some inspiration, or start a conversation that will have a ripple effect beyond what I can see. Perhaps I'll inadvertently improve the world. It's possible someone will stumble on my blog and discover that we've thought the same thought, and that will give the person comfort because they'll feel a little less alone in the world.
And you know what one nice thing I could do today is? One small choice that could make a difference? I can hop over to another blog in this challenge and leave a compliment in the comments. I can choose to try to make a stranger smile. Acts of random kindness like that do make a difference, and that's a pretty special choice to make.
Have a happy A to Z challenge!

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Click here for the MASTER LIST of all participants who signed up for the #AtoZchallenge 2018!
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Our life ripples out, and it has influence. That's why it's important that we're at our best and that we're influencing others for the good. - Victoria Osteen

29 comments:

Jayashree Srivatsan said...

http://jaishwrites.blogspot.sg/2018/04/r-for-red.html

Antoinette said...

What a lovely post. Thank you.
https://antoinettetrugliomartin.com/2018/04/19/r-is-for-rhubarb/

Kalpana said...

Super post - a lovely reminder to be kind, to make a difference in someones day and to believe that we matter. I needed that.
http://www.kalpanaawrites.com/rose-garden/

Seema Misra said...

Self confidence is a journey - well said.

https://lonelycanopyblog.wordpress.com/2018/04/19/rainy-days-in-oceangreen-kannur/

Anonymous said...

Happy Friday! :)
https://ladyleemanilablog.wordpress.com/2018/04/20/r-is-for-rispetto/

Pradeep Nair said...

Rain, the ultimate joy
http://bpradeepnair.blogspot.in/2018/04/rain-ultimate-joy.html

Crackerberries said...

Cheers and happy Friday. http://crackerberries.blogspot.com/2018/04/raviolis-with-shrimp-hot-peppers-18.html

Nilanjana Bose said...

'If I can stop one heart from breaking/I shall not live in vain' ~ Emily Dickinson.

Thank you for this lovely reminder.

Anonymous said...

R for "Rocking Plank & Russian Twists"

Cathy Kennedy said...

Jamie,

Being the best version of me is what I strive for every day. Maybe before I bite the dust I'll reach the top. Great pep talk. I hope others take it to heart. Happy A2Zing and thanks for co-hosting!

~Curious as a Cathy
A2Z iPad Art Sketch 'R' for Rocks

Jamie said...

You're welcome!

Jamie said...

:)

Jamie said...

:)

Jamie said...

You're welcome.

Jamie said...

Glad you liked the post.

Jamie said...

Hey, that guest post is by ME!
:)

Hope you like it.

Here's my regular blog post for today.

https://uniquelymaladjustedbutfun.blogspot.com/2018/04/letter-r-atozchallenge-coffee-theme.html

Harvest Moon by Hand said...

Random acts of kindness do indeed make a difference! It can be as simple as a thoughtful comment, praise for something that was created, or letting a person know how s/he impacted you by what they wrote.

Ann
https://harvestmoonbyhand.blogspot.com/2018/04/hobbies-that-begin-with-r-blogging-from.html

LauraEhlers said...

Excellent words of encouragement. I have days when I wonder why I drive myself crazy posting on the blog, then some random person at work will say, ‘your latest post was hilarious!’ And that makes it all worth it!

retirementreflections said...

I believe in Random Acts of Kindness, and the positive difference that they can make. Great post!

Wendy said...

Great post
Wendy - self-confessed waffler, reader, crafter, Mother and Grandmother

Wendy's Waffle

Roland Clarke said...

A post to make one think - Ripples, Reflection, Realisation. Your words capture what life should be.

[https://rolandclarke.com/2018/04/20/r-is-for-resident-evil/]

Shirley Corder said...

Thought-provoking post, thank you. R is for Retirement"

Unknown said...

The A to Z challenge causes a wonderful ripple effect each year. Thanks to each of you who work so hard on A to Z.
https://moondustwriter.com/2018/04/20/the-road-atozchallenge-poetry-children-uganda/

Charan Deep Singh said...

Would you like to delete your bad memories and erase your bad experiences? What would those be? Would you really like to do it. Read R for Recycle Bin

kaykuala said...

R for remembering

http://imagery77.blogspot.my/2018/04/to-facilitate-remembering-r.html


Hank

Emily in Ecuador said...

Beautiful quote, Nila.

Emily in Ecuador said...

Great guest post, Jamie! I think some people become overwhelmed when thinking of how to help others. Instead of focusing on one small act, like you mentioned, they look to make a big splash. Love talking about making ripples instead.

Emily In Ecuador | Rainbows and the rainy season in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador

Amrit Sinha said...

R for Rishikesh

http://livinglifegreenspeck.blogspot.in/2018/04/rishikesh.html

Doree Weller said...

I love your point about how we can be anything we want to be. You're absolutely correct, and we should never lose sight of that.
U is for Books About the Underworld