The Butterfly Effect is best set in motion
not by
creating another email at work
filling out another form
or attending a meeting
but rather by being kind to someone who doesn't expect or maybe deserve it, giving something to those in need, a random act of kindness, paying it forward....working on your karma like Earl.
What I'm trying to say is if you want to have an appeciable effect you need to find a leverage point, or point of discontinuity, where there is a possiblity for change.
Considering a bazillion people are at work creating emails, filling out another form, attending meetings, as you read this, the chances of you starting a meaningful ripple in that way are quite small (we're talking big picture here..creating a tempest in a teacup within a work environment is easily done with email).
A more interesting experiment in flapping your butterfly wings might be by smiling at a "bad" kid you see on the street, maybe talk to them, buy someone hungry a dinner, give them your coat, do your best to be nice to a rude person, help someone fix a flat tire, give, or do, something nice to someone unexpectedly. It doesn't have to be a big deal for God's sake, maybe just stop tailgating people on the freeway for a day or smile and let someone merge.
You won't know the overall system effect of your good intentions, since we know that in complex systems, cause and effect are removed in time and space. The ripple effect of your one small good deed might result in something really good happening or prevent something bad...you never know.
One thing you will start to notice is the world will become a friendlier place.
Serendipity and grace will start to show up more often, and you will find good things in unexpected ways and unexpected places.
That's my story and I'm stickin to it.
