If You Want to Change The World….

One year ago today, my world shifted, tilted, and my life changed trajectory. What started out as a normal day would change our lives in ways we never could have imagined, for the better. I’ve written about the struggles we faced, and the trials we went through. I have spoken on a podcast and so has my husband about the events which took place over the last year.

On this anniversary of when all these events began their shift, I can’t help but reflect on where we were, where we are now, and the plans I have for the future. I’ve said in the past that you let your fear control you, or you can turn it into fire. I’ve taken that fire, and I am working to make positive changes in my community. I’ve started a Chapter of Team Red, White, and Blue; I’ve got plans in motion to change my community, specifically the Veteran Community. And yet I get frustrated when my plans don’t come to fruition as quickly as I hope. I’ve got fire in my belly, and it’s wildly frustrating when the wheels of motion don’t move as quickly as I hope. I want to see changes that expand past my community and create real, lasting impact. I do realize these things take time, and hard work. I also realize in order to make an impact sometimes you have to start small.

I’m currently reading a book No Drama Discipline:The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing. One of the greatest lessons i’m learning is the importance of connection; especially when emotions are heightened. Your child is losing it over something so obscure that you would laugh, if you weren’t so angry and irritated. As parents and just people, we have all had these moments where your child (or an adult) is angry, and you get angry, and nothing gets accomplished. But what if in that moment we didn’t react, but connected; empathized. What if we chose to mirror love and kindness; how would our children react? What would they learn? What i’m finding, is these moments don’t escalate, and my girls and I are communicating and connecting more effectively. It’s not perfect, but it’s impactful.

I’m reminded of something Mother Teresa said “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” If change starts small, and every action has a ripple effect that is exponentially unknown, then maybe the best place to start making changes, is by going home and loving my family. I may not be changing the world right now, but i’m changing our world, their world. Maybe today, my plan to change the world didn’t happen. But I did go home and love my family, and that’s a start.