When it comes to making an impact, it doesn't happen overnight. It takes time. Don't get me wrong, you make an impact with every action you take. Just like breathing, we do it from the instant we are born, yet understanding how to control our breathing for diving, meditating, or sports takes practice and effort. Once we are consistent with our actions, we let people feel our heartbeat. This can only happen when we let people in close enough to touch it, and trust us enough to let them reach out. Of course this is all figurative, but when you do invite people in and open yourself up in a meaningful way, your heartbeat is not only felt, it creates ripples that have others synchronizing their heartbeat with yours.
We have been programmed to always have a plan and know where we are headed. And in all the planning, we may have lost touch with our ability to trust our instincts. Do we need a plan or would creating pathways help us better navigate?
Too often, we get focused on the end result. We were raised to believe that is the prize. Remember, that first step when you moved away from what was expected? How awkward it was to try something new? How you had to hold onto something and were so unbalanced?
Do you even think about taking a step now, or has it become instinctual to fully live your values? That is where we will start. This first step to letting people feel your heartbeat. That is, assuming you know what cause has meaning to you, or that you truly care about. This is my story of learning to share my heartbeat instinctively.
Learn About The Cause
In our world today, there are a plethora of causes where each one of us can make a difference. For me, taking the pledge with No Kid Hungry through their subscription list helped me choose a cause I truly believe in. What it did was provide the information on fundraising, events, advocacy and news about the organization. Like most causes, through their emails, I became aware of what is important to the organization. Also, many have blogs that you can subscribe too via email or RSS (real simple syndication). Sign up to get these and you'll discover new perspectives, facts and people involved with the same cause you are. You might even find a community of people who share your passion to make a difference in the world.
Take Action and Share Your Heartbeat
Every single person on this planet can make a difference. This step is a three-parter to get started.
Share
Every time you see a new email that you signed up for or a new blog post gets published, share it with your social networks. This includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, and whatever platform is valuable to you. When you share, you create word of mouth communication. People are hearing the news from you, a trusted connection, not a brand. When you start adding your reasons for why you are sharing (ie I relate to this; interesting fact I just learned, Do you know?) people get to know why this cause is so important to you and your heartbeat becomes a little stronger.
Volunteer
When you learn about an event happening in your area or you read about how they need people to make calls, find out how you can get involved. When you get involved, share that experience with others. How did it make you feel? Did it give you a sense of satisfaction at the same time you helped others? It usually does and this is the nedge it takes to get others in your community to realize it.
Donate
Making a monetary donation is fantastic, when you can. Many of us feel we don't want to share that we donated because others may think we didn't donate enough or know everyone will ask us to donate money. The wonderful thing about letting people feel your heartbeat is they know you are sincere when you say you supported your cause. Money, in any form, is the lifeline for organizations making an impact. Be proud of what you contribute and share that you did, not how much you did. Every dollar counts in making a difference.
Show Appreciation
A wonderful thing starts to happen once you consistently learn and take action (i.e., letting others feel your heartbeat), your actions are replicated by others. Instead of just reading your posts, others are now sharing their own. Instead of just supporting your efforts, they are creating their own fundraisers. This is where many see competition, but you know the power of collaboration. That moment when one heartbeat becomes two or three or more, the magic begins and the community grows. Support their efforts by thanking them and showing the same support they gave you on this journey.
It takes time, but the effect is undeniable. By making an impact and letting others feel our heartbeat, soon the world hears the collective heartbeat of the cause you believe in.