“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” -Aesop
We’ve all heard the saying “pay it forward”, but where did this idea come from and what does it really mean? It started with Catherine Ryan Hyde’s book Pay It Forward and then became more well known in 2000 when the book was made into a film of the same name. The movie is about eleven year old Trevor, ( played by Haley Joel Osment), who is inspired by his social studies teacher’s (Kevin Spacey), challenge to come up with an idea that will change the world. Trevor comes up with the idea of paying it forward, which consists of doing a favor that really helps someone, and then telling him or her not to pay it back, but to instead pay it forward to three other people who in turn each pay it forward to three more – and on and on into a global outpouring of kindness and decency. I remember seeing this movie and thinking this was an idea that truly could change the world, or at the very least make it a better place.
Catherine Ryan Hyde, the author of Pay It Forward established the Pay It Forward Foundation in 2000. According to their website, “she established it as a catalyst to inspire growth for the pay it forward philosophy, acts of kindness among strangers, generating a ripple effect from one person to the next, one community to the next.” Over its 17 year history the foundation has inspired countless acts of kindness and it has inspired people all over the world to make the philosophy part of their daily lives. The foundation has also published a young readers edition of the Pay It Forward book to be used by teachers in schools. If you are a teacher and you want to use the book as part of your curriculum, you can request a class set on their website: payitforwardfoundation.com. If you are a parent and want to buy it for your child it is available at Barnes & Noble.
I would like be a more giving person and I am planning to make the pay it forward concept part of my daily life. I can only imagine what kind of world we would live in if every person incorporated this simple idea into their lives. So I have scoured the internet to find many different ways each and everyone of us can pay it forward on a daily basis.
30 Great Ways to Pay It Forward
- Compliment the first 3 people you talk to today.
- Send a positive text message to five different people today.
- Put inspirational notes around your office, school, neighborhood etc…
- Tell someone they dropped a dollar, a five or even a ten and then give it to them.
- Donate towels, toys or food to an animal shelter.
- Let someone go in front of you in line.
- Leave a gas gift card at the gas pump.
- Leave an inspirational note on someone’s car.
- Smile at 5 strangers.
- Take flowers or treats to the nurses station at your nearest hospital.
- Leave a box of goodies in your mailbox for your mail carrier.
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
-Winston Churchill
Give freely without expecting anything in return. Many people will ask how they can pay you back for your kindness. Tell them about the pay it forward concept. Tell them you don’t want anything, but you would like them to pay the good deed forward to someone else.
- Bring a homeless person a meal.
- Leave a good book behind in a cafe, train, bus, airplane, etc..
- Pay for someone’s coffee.
- Give blood.
- Donate to a cause you believe in.
- Listen to someone’s story. Many people have nobody to listen to them or someone who cares about them.
- Give someone some words of encouragement.
- Pray for someone in need. Send them love and pray that they have enough strength to get through what they’re going through.
- Offer to take someone’s photo
- Leave change where kids can easily find it.
- Give up your seat to an elderly person or a woman.
- Help someone pursue their dream.
- Write a positive review for a good business.
- Tell someone they made a difference in your life
- Make a donation to your local food bank.
“None is useless in this world, who lightens the burdens of another.”
-Charles Dickens
- Leave a toy in a shopping cart with a note that says, “please accept this gift for your child, to make the trip easier for both of you.”
- Leave an envelope of money in a shopping cart.
- Pay someone’s bill anonymously at a restaurant.
- Create blessing bags for the homeless. They consist of non-perishable food items, personal hygiene products and clothing. To find out more about blessing bags go to Strongluv.com.
I hope that I have inspired you to incorporate this simple notion into your life. I really believe that if each one of us paid it forward (with these ideas or ones of your own) a few times a week, our world would be a kinder, gentler and more loving place. Take care and have fun on your pay it forward journey!
I would love to hear some of your pay it forward ideas! Please leave them in the comment box below!
You May Also Enjoy:
- 7 Quotes Curated by an introvert
- Introverts and Cats: Two Peas In A Pod
- why you should teach your child mindfulness
- Insightful Quotes By Introverted Musicians
- How the age old philosophy of ikigai can help you find happiness
Please Share: