The Ripple Effect
How one woman's belief in my worth continues to inspire others
My mentor, Mania (meaning Earth Angel), has taught me many things. She has taught me how to bless people before I meet them, to be generous, to listen profoundly, and that the only person who creates my reality is me. Over the years, she has supported me in believing in my worth. In fact, who I am now and who she met over a decade ago are literally two different people.
This past Saturday, I briefly spoke with Mania on the phone before heading out with a friend for a much-needed girls’ day out, as I have been all work and no play lately. As we hung up, she reminded me to bless them before I met them and go create magic and miracles. Little did I know what an exciting adventure was before me.
My friend picked me up, and we decided to have lunch first before taking on a new thrift store we had both heard about and wanted to explore. After all, a girl must fuel up before a big day of shopping, right?
After lunch, we used her GPS to take us to the store. It had us taking all the back roads, which we both noticed. I made a comment that it was an adventure and that I appreciated seeing neighborhoods I normally would not. Right after I spoke those words, we saw a couple of young women with a table on the side of the road. We both immediately agreed to pull over and see what they were up to.
There were three of them, two sisters and a cousin. They had a bunch of bracelets and some other pieces of jewelry they had been making to sell. I asked them if they had a specific reason for selling their jewelry, and they said it was to make money so they could do things over the summer.
I reflected on how my mentor taught me an important lesson about being paid what I believe I am worth. I asked how much the bracelet cost, and they said fifty cents. I said to them, “I think this bracelet is worth more. What if I give you $5 for it instead?”
All their eyes widened with excitement.
One young woman then offered me a ring she had made as a gift for my generosity. I immediately recognized her because I saw myself in her. An older version of myself would have done the same thing. I would have felt the need to give more to justify the gesture of abundance, minimizing my own worth.
Because I didn’t have the words in that moment, I wish I had said, “You are worth it. You don’t need to do anything else. Simply receive with appreciation.”
What I did say was that I asked her to do me a favor. I asked her to keep the ripple effect moving by gifting that ring to someone else.
This exchange was so much bigger than the bracelet or the money. It was a beautiful reminder to me that I am passionate about women, especially young women, and providing the tools and guidance I wish I had in my earlier years.
It was about saying to them, “I see your value. You are worthy. You don’t need to overgive to prove your worth,” and it was an important reminder to myself.
When Mania told me to go make miracles, I had no idea what I would witness that day. It is exactly what she has taught me: the ripple effect isn't just about throwing a stone; it is about the impact it leaves behind and how that inspires others.