Influence, it's a powerful thing. It can be used for good or bad. We all have our own sphere of Influence. The people in your sphere of influence probably consists of your family and friends, at least, those are the only people you think are in your sphere. In reality, it is much bigger...
I have always viewed myself as someone who doesn't draw much attention, and I have enjoyed it. I always thought that no one noticed me, unless I wanted them to. I have had experiences recently that have shattered that notion to pieces. I recantly got a job at a local store. Store means customers, and I am up at the front end so there is no way that I can avoid customers. Still, I had this notion that I was invisible, that I was just that girl who bagged your groceries. I thought what I did didn't matter and that no one would remember my name at the end of the day. However, the more I have worked there, the more I realized that my notion was very very wrong.
Our store does online surveys, as they feel customer experience is very important and we want to improve it for them. It is encouraged that customers mention in the comments anyone who helped them so we too get feedback and see what we as an individual can do. They then post a chart in the back of the number of times that an associate was mentioned in the surveys. When the chart was posted last week, I had the most mentions of all the baggers. I had even had a customer wait on the check stand lane so I would bag for them because I looked like a good bagger. I'm being noticed.
This was on my mind last Sunday while I was at church. I have matured quite a bit on the past couple years and was quietly meditating, when I looked up and saw a little girl intently watching me, being the most well behaved I have ever seen. She was watching me and following my example, at least kind of.
Over the past little bit I have discovered that people see me. There are quite a few more people in my sphere of influence than I thought. People are watching what you do. We all need direction in life and often we look to others and their experience to find it. While we may not feel worthy of the attention, we will get it, so we need to watch what we do.
While that was one lesson that I learned from it, I also discovered that I was proud to be different, I was proud to be invisible. It was humbling to find out that I wasn't as invisible as I thought I was. I should not be proud of hiding. I should not be proud. Maybe that is why I felt I needed to write this, to admit that I need to stop hiding, or trying to. Alyx McLean chose to stop hiding. She chose to take action and use her talents to help others. I need to follow the example of my character. I knew it with my mind, now I know it with my heart, and I am going to make my change, use my talent for good, stop hiding. Will you join me?