If we all lived in a reciprocal way, the flow of abundance would begin to cut through the systems and structures that keep us down. – Aisha Frost, You Are the Medicine
I’m a little taken aback by how many people have said my current journey has been so inspirational to them. To them. Me, up here in this cloud of blissful serenity, inspiring others just by learning to thrive. Not that it’s been easy, per se, but I’ve been so intentional in and open about the process that others are starting to take note. I’ve even had a casual friend explain that he was having some issues in areas, and reading/hearing about my process early on has inspired him to make some personal adjustments in his own life.
The negative in me says, “but I’ve only been doing this for what, a month? And the first two weeks were a complete failure!” The positive side of me reminds myself that this is the result of a lifetime of trauma, and I finally found that thing that would catapult me to this side of it. I’ve already achieved so much, and it’s only been twelve days.” I’m just getting started.
Networking with others who have been there and are also on this side of it has been tantamount to my success, and through their stories, I’m inspired to continue the process. And they, in kind, are strengthened and encouraged by my own journey. Every time we show up, we’re not only there for ourselves, we’re there for each other.
This act of reciprocity has begun to bleed over into other parts of my life. In my gaming circles, encouraging the act of approaching challenges as a team and with a positive mindset triggers a domino effect of the same mentality in my closer friends and peers, who eventually bring the same level of cooperation and enthusiasm back to me later on. Before you know it, everyone is excited to be a part of a wider community, engaging with one another in a process of playing a long-haul MMO like Elder Scrolls Online, and nobody feels excluded. Serendipity? I think not!
These two associations certainly affect my interactions in circles I don’t even realize I am a part of, yet. Considering my connections on social media and in real life, now, my influence may even reach further than that. Since the impact I’m having is largely upbeat, I notice a trend of positive returns on my investment by way of seeing how the people around me interact with each other. If nothing more, this shows me that I have been successful in building a community of friends and acquaintances that isn’t just supporting me and my goals, but is elevating everyone involved. It just goes to show that inspiration truly is viral.