Each Selfless Act Sparks Another

Last week, my family watched a lesser-known Christmas movie called Klaus. In the movie, an entitled young man is sent to a remote island where two clans are deeply divided and at war for reasons they can't even remember. The place is dark and in disrepair, the people are unhappy, and everyone spends all their time focused on spite and revenge.

The plot centers on how the main character does the smallest act of kindness by giving a child a small toy which then has a ripple effect that leads to the whole town doing multiple kind things for one another, ultimately reunifying and rebuilding their community. While he had no intention of fixing all the problems of this island, by doing one small thing, a domino effect begins that ultimately heals the community and brings much joy to so many.

The movie was very similar to our world today: the divides seemed too big to be overcome, the characters felt "stuck" in their plight with no ability to change their situation, and everyone just carried on because that's how they always have done it. The movie reminded me that small acts can have large ripple effects beyond what we could imagine. It demonstrated the transformative power of kindness with even the smallest acts. Both in the movie and in real life, positive change is easily accessible with just a little intention.

Often, we think the problems are too big, or the change we desire is too far away, so we don't even begin to tackle them. Instead of thinking we need to do big or great things, we can focus on small kind, and generous acts in our daily lives. We can help make both the world and our own lives a better place one small step at a time.

These small kind acts will inevitably start the ripple effect of positive change.

Martha Beck says, "The smaller steps we take, the more likely we are to achieve our goals." I believe this is true. Physical health is a result of consistent workouts and healthy food choices - not just one day of healthy eating. Relationships grow over multiple authentic conversations and shared experiences, not just one great party. Think of anything you are proud of as you look back, and you will see the million tiny steps you took to get there.

As we look forward to 2025 and its unknown twists and turns, let's focus on how we can continue to 'Light Up' the world with small acts of kindness and generosity. One small act of goodness at a time will undoubtedly set off our chain reaction of good in the world and our lives.

I am kicking off 2025 with a Vision Board workshop to help you crystalize how you want to share your light (more info below). Through this workshop, and my ongoing classes, I hope to keep creating a space where we feel both strong in our bodies as well as connected to ourselves, our community, and each other.

I am so proud of the growth we achieved together in 2024. One workout at a time, we got stronger and more confident in our bodies. More significantly, we made time for ourselves to recharge our light, preparing us to go into the world "lit up" and eager to inspire others. Our workouts together made us stronger, healthier, more confident, energized, joyful, and purposeful.

Thank you for being part of the LightUp community. I am so grateful for each of you and am so excited for all the light we can create together in the year to come.