When it rains upstream, it can flood downstream. Likewise, what I do affects those around me down the road. It is important to me to do the best I can today to affect them in a positive way. I want the flood to be that of joy and not of sorrow.
Through a series of unfortunate events, I learned quite a while ago how my own actions effect everyone around me. And years later, I found that how it effected them in turn had an impact on everyone else around them. As of this writing, I’m in my 40s. So, as an adult, I have had an impact on more people than I can even imagine. There have now been more decades in my adult years than my childhood. It can be an overwhelming thought that my actions and consequences have effected so many.
I once worked on a contract for a prominent North American transmission manufacturer who supplied all of the transmissions for every school bus in the United States of America. This same company also supplied transmissions for many of the trucking companies that provide the logistical expertise to deliver products and supplies all around the world. While I worked on that contract, I soon realized the work I was doing was actually affecting almost everyone on the planet in some way.
You see, if I didn’t show up to work and put in my best effort for the day, it would have an impact and directly affect everyone from school children to even you. Whether you are reading this in print, or on some sort of electronic device, at some point the medium you are reading from was on a truck to be delivered somewhere that led it into your hands today. And many of those school children riding buses have since grown to become contributing members to our society.
Throughout my career, I have worked with or for companies who have a direct impact on people’s lives. This has taught me that when I do my work, it isn’t just about me, or even about my employer. Everything I do has an impact on others. This also holds true in my personal life. The decisions I make in my personal life can impact, or affect, my family and friends. No matter what I do, it does not just affect me. This is not as much of a burden as it is a responsibility I do not take lightly.
The realization I do not just affect myself has brought me to a point in my life where I can honestly say I am not alone. Social media, traffic jams, or a day at the office can have a ripple effect on everyone. What I do can impact everyone in the end. Everything I say can lift someone up or tear someone down. Showing up to work does not only pay the bills, it gives someone else what they need to succeed.
As important as it is to be the best version of yourself to help others, it is equally important to take care of yourself. None of what I have said is possible if I do not take good care of myself. So, all that I have said in this chapter also applies to when I take breaks and relax. When you need time away from the norm, you are recharging yourself to become what the world needs you to be. Taking care of yourself is just as important as doing your job. If you have ever flown in a commercial airplane, you have been told that when the cabin loses pressure to put on your oxygen mask before helping someone else with theirs. The same is true with life in general. You have to take care of you before you can care for anything else. So, taking care of yourself is in turn taking care of those around you.
What does all of this mean for you. I really do not know. This book is not about answering questions as much as it is helping you ask the questions you need to ask yourself. What do you do that affects others around you? When is it best to take time for you and when is it the best time to help someone else? When should you work or when should you take a vacation or holiday? Only you know the answers to those questions. But I do know everything you do has an affect on everyone around you. So, be sure to ask yourself those questions. And be confident in the answers. You, and those around you, depend on it.