A few years ago I found myself in a great place financially, and wanted to give back a bit in a fun way. One night while walking around a local store at the wee-hours-of-the-morning it hit me: people just didn't look happy. How could I help? I was just a kid without much wisdom or experience to back me up in life.
So, this is what I came up with: words of encouragement and a surprise always make me feel a bit better about the world. This lead me to the following act: On several strips of paper I wrote out encouraging words. Some were quotes that I had loved, others were bible verses, and the rest were simply things I felt that people might like to hear in order to have a better day. Then I took those strips of paper and wrapped them around a 5$ or 10$ bill. Then came the fun part. Trying as hard as I could not to be noticed I walked around the store sneaking the "gifts" into people's carts while they weren't looking, and in random spots throughout the store. (Inside of shoes, in tupperware, in the pockets of yet-to-be-purchased clothing, etc.).
Doing this small anonymous thing was meant to give back and help others to feel better about their days, but truth-be-told, it also made me feel a lot better about my own. There is something about giving back without recognition that can really feel amazing. I recommend trying it if you are in need of a little encouragement in your own life. (You can, of course, go about it without the monetary portion and simply give the notes)!
Have you ever done something like this? How did it affect you personally? Have you ever been the recipient of a small act of kindness such as this? What kind of reaction did you have?
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