It’s sometimes hard to imagine – or even remember what life must have been like 100 or 150 years ago, before the age of technology.

This thought was prompted by a memory that came up on my computer this week. I am always intrigued by how something so simple can stir up different emotions and reflections depending on our headspace at the time.

It reminds me of the butterfly effect, often used to explain cause and effect or non-linear impact. The idea that every action or input has consequences, though not necessarily in proportional or predictable ways. I think this rings true for so much in life today. It’s easy to believe that what we say, do, or how we behave doesn’t really matter, that it’s no one else’s business. Yet when we consider the butterfly effect, our actions have the potential to ripple out in ways we may never fully see or know.

At the heart of it, we are connected by the simple truth that we are living this ‘life’ experience at the same time. I believe that everything we do matters, and just as importantly, everything we don’t do matters. It’s about finding a balance between making a difference while navigating our own challenges with the tools we have in any given moment.  

We see this in the way humans communicate needs from the beginning to the end of life. A baby cries to signal a need – to be changed, fed, soothed or because they are in pain. A young person might become physically and/or verbally aggressive, not because they are ‘bad’ but because they are feeling unsafe, insecure, out of control, or simply repeating patterns that once helped them survive. Both kids’ and adults’ behaviours are forms of communication demonstrating a feeling, a want, a need or a response to previous trauma.

And yet we live in a society that largely doesn’t see the world this way, and in my opinion, is significantly lacking in adequate mental health support. Instead of asking, ‘What does this person need, want, or expect right now and how can I help?’ too often the response is isolation or punishment. On an average night in 2024, 845 young people in Australia were in detention, heartbreakingly with First Nations young people significantly overrepresented. Imagine if we approached each other without judgement and with compassion and curiosity instead.

Every day, we consciously or unconsciously make choices. We are quick to judge, criticise, or ignore people who are different from us, less fortunate or marginalised. Over time, some of these responses have even become ‘normal’ and somewhat accepted. At what point do we need to take responsibility for our own ripples in the world?

Even the smallest actions matter. When we consider how the butterfly effect plays into our own lives, we realise how powerful our actions are and how the little things can potentially become the big things. We’ve seen it through global figures such as Nelson Mandela or Mother Teresa, and many of us have felt it closer to home, in our networks or communities.

You might ask, with over 8 billion people on the planet, can just one person make changes that echo around the world?

With a little awareness, compassion and intention, I firmly believe that every choice we make has the power to ripple far beyond what we can see or imagine. Like the silent flap of a butterfly’s wing, each word, each act of kindness, and each moment of courage can create long-lasting change around the world. The choice is up to us.

Much Love
Dalya & Ben xx 💙