WHAT A DAY!

As you may have read, I signed up to take the Pay It Forward Birthday Challenge where you do acts of kindness for each year you’ve been alive. This year, I turned 32, and b/c I had already scheduled the day after off work, I decided to take the day after my birthday to do the challenge and really dive in fully.

I gotta say it was HARD to get 32 good deeds in. Here is what I did:

1. Served breakfast for the homeless at the StewPot
2. Served breakfast in bed to my hunny
3. Attempted to buy coffee for the guy behind me, but he refused (I tried!)
4. Donated clothing donation from myself & friends to Genesis Women’s Shelter
5. Dropped off shoe donation from myself & friends to Soles for Souls
6. Bought flowers for the owner of my fave nail salon b/c she is always so kind and sweet to everyone, including the panhandlers who walk up to her shop door
7. Paid for the guy behind me in line at the grocery store (he was only getting a soda!)
8. Carried groceries for an old lady at the grocery store
9. Went to Klyde Warren Park and left love notes from the universe in random spots
10. Gave my barely used paid parking pass the family parking behind me
11. Dropped change in the meters in Deep Ellum
12. Taped change to a vending machine
13. Bought tacos for some homeless guys near my house

….

So I didn’t make all 32. But…I figured between the serving over 600 breakfasts + 6 bags/boxes of donations , I can count myself successful for a day focused on paying it forward! YEAH BABIES!!

The strangest thing to me was how nervous I got approaching people to just out right do something nice for them. I don’t get nervous meeting people normally. In fact..I love meeting people and making new friends. But for some reason, that very direct giving to someone leaves you feeling…vulnerable. Maybe that’s why we don’t do more of it. B/c you are left vulnerable to possible rejection or awkwardness or..people not taking your intentions the right way…or whatever!

But once I shook off the nervousness and just stepped right up …it felt really rewarding to experience each person’s honest appreciation. All day, I got to have people look me in the eye, give me real smiles, and to feel genuine happiness from strangers. It helped remind me how much we are all disconnected and how just one small… hop of faith towards each other can do wonders to simply make the world a better place. One person at a time. One act of kindness at a time.

And so, I encourage each of you to have the courage to take that small hop of faith towards each other — this holiday season and every day! You never know what change you can make, what warmth and connection can you feel.

<3

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