making a difference – Cynthia D. Griffin

This blog has gone through many transformations, but I feel the most recent one has been the most significant. I have spent a lot of time redesigning, revamping, and reconsidering how I want this blog to go in recent months. It took a while for me to fit the pieces together, but I am finally starting to see a picture form.

Up until a few weeks ago this blog has been me just throwing things out there that have come to me in my journey of life. For a great while it was solely dedicated to writing and writing posts. Then August of last year, I started the Speak Your Truth series because I decided I had more to say other than just writing. I think all of my actions on this blog have been leading me up to this.

It’s a coming out party for me. As I have decided I want to say more and do more. I have sat on the sidelines long enough. I want to get out there and do something. You see, just because I had a blog didn’t mean I actually did anything significant with it. It was simply a place to post ideas. But I want to start going beyond that and start engaging people. I want to be a place of not just ideas, but a place of inspiration and collaboration.

What does that mean exactly? I still don’t have all the pieces. I’m moving forward one step at a time. I want to add more online classes to offer what knowledge I have to those seeking it. I want to begin a weekly newsletter to help connect and motivate people. I want to help promote other authors and their work. I want to help inspire people to rise higher and claim their personal power.

So with all that in mind, I have changed the message behind this blog to more clearly state what it is I’m doing here. This is a blog on writing, but also a blog supporting and inspiring personal empowerment.

Writing fiction isn’t enough for me. I want to do more, be more, and give back more. I am excited in this new journey, and I hope all of you will enjoy it as I offer these new ideas and encouragement. I will close with one of my favorite quotes of all times.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” ––Mahatma Gandhi

There is often a misconception that in order to create positive change it must be in big and flashy ways. This is, of course, great and wonderful, but maybe some of us don’t have the energy, know-how, or realistic aspirations to make a unique and big contribution. Or perhaps, there are some who are just overwhelmed with trying to find a way to make a big splash to effect real positive change in the world. But really, some of the best and lasting changes come in much smaller ways.

For every major positive difference that we witness someone else doing to help other people or the world in general, there are hundreds, thousands, probably millions of other people doing something smaller to effect change too. If you add that up, it’s a lot of wonderful change happening all over the world.

We sometimes might be deluded into thinking that what we do or don’t do doesn’t really matter. Does it really matter if we smile to the stranger as we walk past them? Does it really matter if we let that person cut in front of us in line without cussing them out? Yes, it does.

It doesn’t take much. But if we can approach ourselves and each person we meet with a smile and compassion, then we are effecting positive change in the world. And every little bit counts. Because maybe one act of kindness a day may not seem like a lot, but if every single person were to do one thing a day that adds up fast.

What kinds of positivity and kindness can we spread?

Continue reading “Speak Your Truth: How to Make a Difference in Small Ways” →