‘Tis the Season – It’s a perfect time to “Pay it Forward” to make the season merry and bright, and set a path for the New Year.
Paying it forward is a win/win proposition. During this season, many of us are compelled or inspired to do just a little more. But, what if we paid it forward as a habit? What if “paying it forward” became how we lived every day? Check out the documented benefits of creating a “pay it forward” habit in your lifestyle.
There are numerous benefits attached to paying random acts of kindness forward and helping someone else in need. Specifically:
- Doing good for others can have a powerful, positive effect on the immune system.
- By contributing towards the greater good, self-worth and self-esteem improves.
- It can prevent people from becoming isolated, encouraging them to meet new people and step outside of their comfort zones.
- Chronic negativity can be dismantled in the mind, as positive energy flows from giving to others Studies have revealed that kindness helps relieve stress, which is a huge problem in many workplaces.
“Helping contributes to the maintenance of good health, and it can diminish the effect of diseases and disorders, both serious and minor, psychological and physical.” Allan Luks, after surveying 3,296 volunteers.
How can you start? Here are a few suggestions:
- Pay the toll for the car behind you.
- Purchase the coffee for the person behind you at Starbucks, or your favorite coffee house.
- Sponsor a food drive in your neighborhood for your local food bank.
- Let the person with a small order go in front of you at the grocery store.
- Leave an extra-large tip for your server.
The ultimate benefit of a pay it forward lifestyle, however, is this. You will inspire others to pay it forward in their own lives. This is an exponential benefit for us all!
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