I was 13-years-old when my middle school held a two hour lecture in our gym to introduce us to the concept of "paying it forward." At the time, I had never heard of the idea, though it was the simplicity of it that first caught my attention.
During this two-hour period, we were presented with snippets of "Pay it Forward," a film that tells the story of a social studies teacher who assigns his junior high class to come up with an idea to change the world for the better, then put it into action. After one student creates a plan for "paying forward" favors, he sets in motion a groundbreaking wave of human kindness, and in result, has since blossomed into a profound national phenomenon. Additionally, our seventh grade class was lucky enough to hear from speakers in different "Pay it Forward" campaigns, who told their stories of how they have chosen to take the initiative to pay it forward, too.
On that day in a stuffy middle school gymnasium, I learned that I, a young 13-year-old, could easily make a difference in someone else's life just through simple acts of kindness. The concept of paying it forward has stuck with me for now seven years, and it continues to be something I try to do at least once per day. Here are seven simple ways that you can pay it forward each day, too:
1. Hold the door open for the person behind you.
At one point or another, we have all experienced that time of either:
1. ...opening a door and questioning whether or not to wait, stand there and hold it open for the person who is a reasonably long distance away.
...or...
2. ...been the person who was the somewhat long distance away, and felt the need to start speed-walking/jogging to the door that was being held open for them.
If you have experienced that of first scenario, then next time, don't think twice about it. Hold the door and wait for the person patiently with a smile on your face, because let's face it, it's already awkward enough to be the person in the second scenario. So remember to complete your act of kindness wholeheartedly, not impatiently.
2. Clean out your old clothes and donate them to someone in need.
If you have a jacket, some T-shirts, a couple pairs of pants or even a scarf that has been left hanging in your closet for a while, choose to take the time to go through your wardrobe, clear out some closet space and donate! Whether you decide to donate to a friend in need or to one of the hundreds of donation locations that happily accept worn clothing items, it is important to remember the saying, "Your old is someone else's new."
3. Donate blood.
Participating in a blood drive is one of the most fulfilling acts of kindness to do if you are able. Just simply locate a local blood drive, go and donate! One pint of blood can save up to three lives, and through partaking in blood donation, those who donate are quite literally changing lives for the better.
4. Pay for the person in line behind you.
There are a countless number of everyday situations when this opportunity will arise: whether it is a Monday morning at Starbucks and you pay for the coffee for the person behind you, or you are going through a toll booth on the highway and you pay both your toll fee and for the car's behind you as well, it is guaranteed that in doing so, you will put a smile on the face of this person. Additionally, they might even continue paying it forward by paying for the person behind them, too!
5. Put some change in an expired meter.
If you walk by a car with a parking meter that has expired, then grab some of your spare change and fill it up. You never know why the person hasn't gotten back to refill their meter yet, and if the roles were reversed, you would appreciate the anonymous act that saved you a ticket very much.
6. Offer your seat to someone when there aren't any left.
If you find yourself sitting on a full subway car, think about giving up your seat to someone who has been standing on the train for a while. You have had some time to sit, and the person who has been standing for quite some time will be very grateful for the chance to sit and rest, too.
7. Consider giving your leftovers away to a homeless person nearby.
I can't count how many times I have gone out to a restaurant for dinner, taken half of my uneaten food home, and ended up throwing it all away a few days later after it went untouched. Living in New York City, I have seen hundreds of homeless people, and I have witnessed them beg for food, search through trashcans for anything edible, or go without eating at all. In result of this, I quickly decided that any of my uneaten food from restaurants would be given to the first person in need who I saw on my journey back home. The reactions of pure gratefulness that I've received from this simple act of kindness are ones that I will forever cherish, and I encourage anyone who can to do the same.
After being thanked by the receiver over and over again, a common reaction that one will get from paying it forward in any type of situation is being asked the question, "how can I repay you?" In this scenario, the best answer that anyone who is truly passionate about paying it forward can give is to simply ask that the receiver continues the cycle by paying it forward to someone else when the opportunity arises.
Paying it forward daily has absolutely been one of the most fulfilling decisions I have made since I was thirteen years old. To be able to put smiles on the faces of others through simple acts of kindness in everyday situations is something I have come to be passionate about, and while my actions may not dramatically change the world, they do make those who receive my favors happy, and encourage them to do the same for another; one person at a time.
