We don't live in isolation, everything we do or another does has a ripple effect just like a stone dropped into a pool of water. We may not see the full effect of dropping that stone but we are influencing and being influenced by these ripples all of the time with all our choices. Living with more awareness of what we are putting out into the world means we are also more aware of the ripple effect that comes from our movements or words and therefore we have a willingness to build a way of living that does not purposefully harm another. This way of living chooses to have more responsibility, not just because what we put out we get back (as with all ripples), but because we become aware that if we don't want this for ourselves then we would not want that for another.
There is no perfection here, simply a willingness to consider how our movements, physical, verbal and non-verbal, all create ripples that affect everyone around us.
Bringing more attention to the way we are living through self-care and being aware of our choices, helps us to raise our head above the swamp to see more clearly, just like the lily in a pond. As we care for ourselves, we are able to offer ourselves an opportunity to make less emotionally reactive choices, and in time, respond to situations rather than react which is far less draining on the body and also throws out less impact-full ripples for others to deal with.
Further reading
Rules, standards and boundaries
Recharge tips for busy parents
Learning is an on-going process
Image by ki won yoo from Pixabay