Today I caught up with a family member. One of the things we talked about was my habit of posting daily. Bob asked how long I’d been writing, how long I planned to write, and why I had decided to write every day. I told him that I’ve been writing for four months and that I plan to do it for at least a year (hopefully much longer) and explained my reasons. I get asked these questions a lot. Most people say, “That’s nice to know,” and the conversation moves on. Today was different.

Bob shared how my posts have affected him. I really enjoyed the feedback after writing every day for months with little idea of whether I’m doing anything other than whistling in the wind. Bob said he reads my posts every day on LinkedIn’s app. LinkedIn doesn’t provide stats on article impressions or views, so this was news to me. And he said that he has shared some of my posts. With no stats, I had no idea if I’d gotten any shares. Then he told me how my weekly work-from-home posts have helped him manage better. Those are the posts in which I track how many weeks I’ve worked from home (sadly, it’s been eighteen), describe my main observations during the week, and summarize my takeaways. I assumed this post didn’t resonate with others. It was designed to force me to reflect every week and be aware of the pandemic’s impact on my mental state and to be my “easy” post for the week. I thought it would bore people.

I found out that Bob has enjoyed my reflections so much that he’s borrowed the idea. He now reflects about things himself, both alone and with his team. They have a standing virtual conversation that’s become the highlight of their week. They share personal and professional thoughts and open up about their mental state. It’s become a substitute for lost water-cooler talk and brought the team closer.

My conversation with Bob was eye-opening, to say the least. Never in a million years would I have guessed that my posts had helped a team connect. Or that anyone reads them every day. When I began writing, it was to give back and help others by sharing my experiences and thoughts. I reflected on what I’d learned after 60 days. Today, I learned more. Bob helped me understand the reach of my writing and the impact it can have. I’m glad my posts add value to others’ lives, grateful for the experiences and opportunities that I’ve been blessed with, and encouraged to continue writing.

Next time you’re considering doing something positive for others but aren’t sure if it will be helpful . . . do it anyway. You could end up having a much bigger impact than you ever could have imagined!