There are times when we may feel disconnected from the world. It can seem like our actions have no significant consequence, and we may feel like we exist in a vacuum. Yet the truth is that our most straightforward thought or action — the decisions we make each day and how we see and relate to the world — can be incredibly significant and have a profound impact on the lives of those around us and the world at large. The earth and everything on it are bound by an invisible connection — people, animals, plants, the air, the water, the soil. Insignificant actions on your part, whether positive or negative, can impact people and the environment even if they seem separate from you. Staying conscious of the connection between all things can help you think of your choices and your life in terms of the broader effect you may be creating.

Think of buying a wooden stool. The wood was once part of a tree, which was part of a forest. A person was paid to fell the tree, another to cut the wood, and yet another to build the stool. Their income may have positively affected their families, just as the tree loss may have hurt the forest or the animals that made that tree their home.

An encouraging word to young children about their unique talent can influence them to develop their gift so that one day their inventions can change the lives of millions. A poem written to express oneself can make a stranger reading it thousands of miles away feel less alone.

Staying conscious of your connection to everything can help you consider your choices regarding their impact. We are powerful enough that what we do and say can reverberate through the lives of people we may never meet. Understanding that you are intimately connected with all things and your power to affect our world can be the first step to living more consciously.