Emma sat by the lake, her mind racing with worries. Deadlines loomed, relationships felt strained, and sleep was a stranger. As her thoughts spiraled, she picked up a small pebble and tossed it into the still water.
The splash was small, but ripples danced outward, spreading across the surface. Emma stared at the waves, entranced.
A thought struck her: What if my actions worked the same way?
She picked up another pebble, this time imagining it as a single, kind act—a smile for a stranger, a deep breath before reacting, or simply allowing herself a moment of grace. The ripples spread again, reaching the far edges of the lake.
Emma realized that she didn’t need to solve everything at once. Just one small, intentional act could create waves of change, starting with her own peace of mind.
She smiled softly, the first in days, and stood up. The lake wasn’t the only thing that could ripple.