Category: Uncategorized

June 2018

 

Last month I launched a series of notes I call One Small Thing, an effort to recognize and track the impact that small actions can have on another person, creating a true cascade of meaningful change. 

Today is the Worldwide Day of Giving and it feels like the perfect moment to launch my second note on One Small Thing. While there is no wrong way to give, we often think about “giving” in monetary terms. While being financially generous is great, let’s expand our thinking to include giving of ourselves, in terms of attention, empathy, time, and thoughtfulness. Those forms of giving can often have an impact that is far more personal (and far more meaningful) than just giving money. 

Today’s note is a request that we redefine generosity together.

Your response to my first note has been generous and overwhelming, with people posting the #onesmallthing hashtag and writing me personal notes about their own experiences where someone did one small thing for them and it cascaded in a big way. 

Whether it was an email from a woman who felt truly connected as part of the Parlay House community, a young person who benefitted from honest feedback about how they can perform better, or an old employee recounting how career encouragement many years ago shaped her future career choices, it is really evident that something small can have an impact far greater than the actual event. That makes me so hopeful, because all of us are capable of taking small actions to pull someone else forward, and we can all afford to give this way.

We’ve got something real and meaningful here.

***

You, too, have a #OneSmallThing story. 

If nothing comes to mind immediately, let me frame it in this way: When was a time when someone shared something (non-monetary) that gave you faith in yourself? 

Maybe it was:

• a teacher who was the first to recognize your natural abilities;
• a boss who guided you;
• a friend who truly “saw” you; 
• a family member who observed your qualities and remarked on your uniqueness;
• or someone who was willing to share their own vulnerabilities to let you know that you weren’t alone with your feelings or experiences. 

What you can do right now:
Whomever it was, drop them a line to remind them of what they did for you, and share with them how it affected your life. 

This small action may make their day and will likely remind them how much power they have to create positive change for someone else.

Share it big: tell the world your #OneSmallThing story by sharing it on social media.

Share it small: if you want more of an intimate connection, send your story directly to that person via email/text/phone.

Share it with me: I’m collecting these “OneSmallThing stories” to create a collection. Simply send me a note.

May 2018

 

As it’s Mother’s Day, I thought it would be the perfect time to launch a series of notes to give back to those who nurture us, our mentors. This idea is called One Small Thing.

It’s a lesson I learned from my mom who continues to nurture and mentor me. She taught me that every action I take counts and that you never know how that action can affect someone’s life.

***

Sometimes big problems in the world feel impossible for us to tackle on our own. However, just as a mentor would say one small thing that has disproportionately meaningful impact for you, I hope this series will inspire you to try small personal actions that build a bigger and bigger impact over time for someone else.

#MeToo, #TimesUp, and #BlackLivesMatter started with individuals sharing their stories. Each of their voices lifted up to create movements that surpassed hashtags.

My notes will share examples of how I’ve seen small actions move the needle, and will suggest ways that you can make them your own, regardless of your financial situation, your work responsibilities, your home situation and your existing commitments.

Here’s one example:

Parlay House is an event-based community I started in San Francisco for women to connect on a deeper level beyond your average networking event. We curate dialogues on meaningful and authentic topics and it opens us all up for authentic conversations and more meaningful connections with each other.

When we launched Parlay House in New York just six months ago, Joi Gordon, the CEO of Dress for Success, was our first speaker.

She enraptured the audience with her story of leading a nonprofit that provides women returning to the workforce with professional attire and mentorship to empower them in their search for a job.

After Joi’s talk, a woman in the audience raised her hand and said, “Hi, I’m Ivy Woolf-Turk. I read about Parlay House when I was incarcerated.”

She had the room.

Ivy continued, “I thought, ‘Wow, I’d love to go to a Parlay House event when I get out of prison.’ When I was finally released, Dress for Success gave me the support I needed to land a job. And now I’m the founder of Project Liberation, an organization that provides paradigm-shifting personal development for women across stages of criminal justice involvement. Joi, it’s amazing that you’re here tonight because Dress for Success helped me and now I’m sitting in Anne’s living room.”

***

You never know how one small thing can impact someone’s world.

Here’s where you come in.

Think about a time when someone’s small action affected you positively. How about dropping them a note sharing how that one small thing was meaningful to you?

Share it big: tell the world your #OneSmallThing story by sharing it on social media.

Share it small: if you want more of an intimate connection, send your story directly to that person via email/text/phone.

Share it with me: simply send me a note.