There are so  many different kinds of change.  There are the changes we want to happen and the changes we don’t.  There are the changes we predict and plan for, and the changes we don’t see coming.  There are the changes that seem to happen so slowly we can’t stand waiting for and the changes that hit us so suddenly like running into a wall.  But what I’ve been thinking about lately is not just the change, but the ripple effects of change.  They can often be more unpredictable and impactful than the change event itself.

According to the great and wise Wikipedia, a ripple effect happens when “an initial disturbance to a system propagates outward to disturb an increasingly larger portion of the system, like ripples expanding across the water when an object is dropped into it.”  In other words, a ripple effect is when one small change kicks off a chain reaction of events that you may not be able to foresee.  (A random example might be someone who adopts two adorable mini donkeys…then  needs a trailer to transport or evacuate them…and then a truck to pull the trailer…just for example.)

Ripple effects can be force multipliers. If I make a change in one area of my life, it will impact another area and can be additive.  I can step by step build up my confidence or my discipline, etc.  For example, if I take a class and learn a new skill, I can feel more confident and get a new job, then earn more money and improve my family’s well being.  Or, if I, as a member of a community, make a change, it can influence others to make a change and the effect size can magnify and grow exponentially.  This source of power is a key to what we see in political campaigning this time of year.  One person can inspire others to act, that inspires others to act, and so on.

And while ripple effects can be powerful sources for positive change, they can also be sources of stress.  Ripples are the after-effect changes, the unfolding stressors we have to live and cope with in an ongoing manner.  They are often unpredictable and can be isolating as they may go unnoticed, especially by others, compared to the big change itself.  For example, when we experience a profound loss, we lose the companionship and connection to the person who has died.  But months and years down the road we keep experiencing the ripple effects of the loss in a myriad of ways.  “My wife used to do the taxes,” one widow told me, or, “my son used to host Thanksgiving,” a bereaved mother shared. 

There’s no way to prevent ripple effects, but I’ve been thinking about this topic in terms of ways we can be more mindful of them.  One way involves when we’re planning for a change, we can be more conscious of thinking through the effects it will have on ourselves, on others, and on our organization or community.  Sometimes we underestimate our impact and minimize the disruption that happens when we make a change.  Part of healthy change is anticipating the effects on ourselves, the people, and the environment around us. We can think of it as a personal environmental impact report, of sorts.  Good planning can also help people adjust to our change and to make it go more smoothly and successfully.

Another way we can use a proactive approach to ripple effects is to be a sensitive support to others.  I often hear and have experienced myself that people tend to forget about your change.  Not due to any intention, but other people move on.  It might be nice to be on the lookout for ways that people may be affected in the long term by ripple effects.  For example, inviting someone to a holiday dinner after they go through a divorce or offering to give someone a ride if they are battling an illness.  Extrapolating the effect of a change for someone can help you anticipate how to be a good supporter, or for yourself, in how to prepare and ask for what you need.

In addition when change happens to a large community, it effects each of us in a different way. While we can assume some similarity, our ripple is specific to the unique landscape of our lives. The pandemic hit the entire world, but each country, state, city and family had their own challenges. It’s important to be mindful that other’s do not experience change in the same way. that we do.

And finally, being aware of ripple effects can help us recognize our potential as a rock thrower.  As Mother Theresa had said:  “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.”  We each have the ability to be a force for change in the smallest of ways.  Smiling at a stranger, asking someone if they’re ok, making a small donation, baking a meal, or saying you are sorry.  Generally speaking, you don’t have to do or post something that goes viral.  We are all influencers.