Monday Moment - Paint a Wall to See Results!

Yesterday, I painted a wall. It was very satisfying. The project had a distinct beginning, middle, and end. I had constant reinforcement regarding the quality of the work I was doing. And at the end, the wall was bright, clean, and new. Very satisfying.

Long ago, I discovered the therapeutic benefits of painting a wall, and I’ve been recommending it ever since – especially to people who are in the helping professions, even more especially to folks whose work is to influence behavior change, and still more to those whose work is with children.

You see, when we attempt to help people, we rarely see the full results of our work. We help by doing our part, which is often a small piece of the entire network required to really deliver the help that people require.

When we attempt to influence behavior change, we may never see the results of our efforts. Those we try to influence may – or may not – implement our suggestions, they may – or may not – make changes today, next week, or next year, and we might not be around to see what happens.

And when we work with kids? Well, the proof of that pudding may take decades to develop. And even then, the intricate web of multiple and diverse influences tangle so it’s darned near impossible to trace the effect of any single action we might have taken.

We get inklings that what we do matters. Sometimes, we even get outpourings of gratitude and appreciation. But the truth is, when we’re in the helping professions, attempting to influence behavior change, and/or working with children, most of the time, we have to act on faith.

We have to believe – and I mean believe down to our toes – that what we do does make a difference in people’s lives. We have to believe it in unflagging fashion, day after day, and work our hearts out to demonstrate our belief. We often have to believe in the face of questions, skepticism, and downright disregard from any number of others and are often required to expend great reserves of energy to convince those others – funders, for example – that our belief is justified. We have to believe our work matters – regardless of tangible, visible evidence.

And we often get tired, even occasionally tempted toward the dark side of self-doubt. That’s when it’s great to see tangible, visible evidence of something we have done. That’s when I know it’s time to paint a wall – to see just how bright, clean, and new I can make that wall. It’s very satisfying.

Here’s wishing you a real – or metaphorical – wall to paint in the coming week!

Sally