It’s the season of giving, so how do you try to pay it forward?
We believe that optimists have the tools (or can easily obtain them) to create a positive outcome for themselves and those around them! So, we’re taking our optimism to the workplace, to our homes, through digital channels to reach out to loved ones near and far, and to the public.
Being generous has serious benefits. One simple act of kindness can lower stress, improve relationships, and make us happy. From there, the benefits snowball—leading to overall health improvement and even extended lifetimes. (Seriously, science shows that volunteering actually lowers mortality rates.)
Here are a few ways we are bringing generosity and paying it forward into every facet of our lives—and how you can, too.
How to Pay It Forward In The Workplace
Work is busy year-round. It can feel nearly impossible to take the time to slow down enough to express gratitude, appreciation, and plain old thankfulness for those around you. In fact, the holidays dedicated to gratitude are always holidays from work, so how do we incorporate it into our daily work life?
1. Celebrate Small (or Big) Wins as a Team
With the holiday season comes the end of the year. With the end of the year comes a huge sigh of relief—followed swiftly by a never-ending list of January to-dos. A great way to improve company morale is by celebrating wins—both big and small.
These “celebrations” can be as small as a team-wide Slack message or as big as a company lunch upon the completion of a particularly daunting project.
Gratitude is important. Show your team and your coworkers your gratitude—it’s a great habit to get into.
2. Treat a Teammate to Coffee
Maybe you have a new coworker who hasn’t quite found their footing in the workplace. Maybe a team member is facing a difficult time at home. Maybe you simply appreciate your team members and want to show them.
Whatever the reason, the small gesture of a coffee or a doughnut is likely to bring a smile to your coworker’s face.
3. Organize a Charity Drive or Volunteer Event
Get everyone involved in the vast health benefits associated with good deeds. Rather than commiserating about cumbersome deadlines or micromanaging superiors, create some time to work together toward something good.
4. Invite a Coworker for a Walk
There’s nothing like a midday walk. Fill your step tracker with some steps, get your blood pumping, and create a welcoming opportunity for a lunchtime chat (via phone works, too!) with a coworker or employee.
5. Give a Verbal Thank You
Thank yous are important. Say these two words whenever you feel a sense of gratitude. Say “thank you” when someone holds the elevator door, helps you meet a deadline, or refills the coffee pot. Get into the habit.
6. Give a Written Thank You Note
Take your thank yous a step further and consider hand-writing (or, okay, emailing) a specific thank you to someone who deserves it.
7. Give Someone a Ride Home from Work
You get to ride home in the cushy space of your own car every day, rain or shine. That’s a pretty sweet deal. Next time the thermometer drops to frigid levels or the rain pounds down, offer rides to those who normally have to bus or train home.
Even if you can only give them a ride as far as the train station or a certain stop on their line, the gesture will be appreciated.
How to Pay It Forward at Home
Home, it’s where the heart is. Create some loving feelings at home by bestowing warmth and gratitude to your family. Here are a few ideas to spread the optimism and attitude of gratitude with your family, significant other, roommates, or all of the above.
8. Bring Home a Favorite Treat
Everybody has a favorite treat. Bring back your loved one’s favorite pint of ice cream or a bunch of their *perfectly* ripe bananas. Take the time to enjoy the treat together over some post-work conversation.
9. Surprise Your Family With a Seasonal Decoration
Whether it’s a pumpkin-spiced anything or a spooky Halloween decoration, light up your home with a surprise seasonal decoration to get into the spirit.
10. Leave an Unsolicited Love Note
Everybody says kind things on anniversaries or birthdays, but do we really need an occasion? Surprise a loved one with a surprise note—maybe in the cup holder of their car or in their lunchbox. Let them know you appreciate and love them just because!
11. Vocalize Your Appreciation
We all want to be seen and appreciated. Next time your partner brings out the trash or your child cleans up their mess without being asked, vocalize your appreciation. This recognition goes a long way.
12. Put Your Phone Away
This one may sound silly, but it’s important. Whether you’re spending a special Sunday with your mom or an evening with your significant other, toggle your phone to airplane mode. Take some time to be completely present with your loved ones.
13. Cook a Favorite Dinner
Disclaimer: If you really hate cooking, bring home your favorite food. :)
Otherwise, get to cooking. Serve up a home-cooked meal to enjoy together as a family. Creating space and time to be together with your loved ones is important—and dinner is a great meal to come together.
How to Pay It Forward With Old Friends
We all have those friends we don’t get to connect with as often as we’d like to—especially after the last couple of years. Whether your friend lives down the block or across the country, here are a few ways to show them they’re on your mind.
14. Send a Surprise Care Package
Who doesn’t love a little snail mail? Send your friend a care package to show you’re thinking of them. Maybe send a book that made you think of them.
15. Send $5 to a Friend
Let your friend know you’re thinking of them by sending a little cash. Include a cheeky note with fun instructions on how to use it (i.e., strictly for afternoon caffeine intake only!).
16. Donate in Remembrance to a Passed Loved One
If an anniversary of a loved one’s passing or the first holiday without them is approaching, consider donating to a cause in support. Let your loved one know that the person was important—and remembered—by you, too.
17. Call an Old Friend (Yes, on the Telephone)
We’re about to get a little old school here, but listen up. Use those ten-digit phone numbers and give your old buddy a call. Catch up in real-time.
18. Send a Text or Email About a Fond Memory You Have Together
If you really hate phone calls, send a sweet message to an old friend. If you found yourself at work, giggling about some old hijinx you got into together in high school, let your friend know. It’s always nice to know an old friend is thinking of you!
19. Pick Up Dinner (No Strings Attached)
The next time you meet up with your old friend, pick up dinner. Rather than going dutch, explain that you’d like to pick it up. That’s all!
How to Pay It Forward With Strangers
Inspire strangers with unexpected acts of generosity and kindness.
20. Pick Up the Coffee for the Person Behind You
Have you ever had someone do this for you? If your answer is yes, then you know how awesome it feels to get your usual coffee order for free. This type of generous move gives a little bit of hope to someone about the kindness of strangers—and it probably inspires a ripple effect.
21. Pay a Meter, Parking, or Train Fare
We all have those unattractive weekly expenses that are simply a part of life. Take the burden off someone for one day. Whether it’s paying the toll for the person behind you, picking up someone’s parking tab, or giving away a free train ticket, make someone’s commute a little cozier—and one hundred percent freer.
22. Send Flowers to a Local Hospital
Good health is pretty much the greatest fortune a human can have. The pandemic has brought this into sharp focus. Let us not lose the grateful energy we had early in the pandemic for our healthcare heroes. They haven't stopped showing up.
Bring some light to hospital patients and staff by sending flowers to your local hospital.
23. Donate to a Toy Drive
Give the gift of joy (and play!) to a child in need. Toy drives aren’t just for the holidays either. Children’s hospitals, daycares, and schools are open to receiving toy donations year-round.
24. Bring Dinner to Your Local Firehouse
Firemen put their lives on the line every day—more than ever during the holiday season. In fact, many firefighters spend their entire holidays working to keep us safe. Repay them the kindness by bringing a home-cooked meal.
25. Tip 50 Percent (Tip Well)
Tip well. Just do it.
Here’s the thing about tipping extra: you won’t miss the money, and you won’t regret it. Your server, however, will remember and will be grateful.
26. Leave a “Secret” Gift
Leave a random gift or note somewhere—for anyone to find. You never know whose bad day you might fix, who needed a special lift-me-up, or who could use that one extra boost to their day.
Those are only a few ideas of how we’re looking to pay it forward this season. How will you inspire acts of generosity from those around you?
