Acts of Random Kindness - Willekeurig, Lukraak, Kleine Stortingen doen

Het idee om vooruit te betalen is een idee dat me eerst vreemd voor kwam.

In de vorige blog over de 8 rekeningen schreef ik over stortingen doen en afhalen binnen relaties, en evenwicht. Wat ik hier zeg gaat verder, en is een van mijn favoriete opvattingen !

Ik zag de film 'Pay It Forward' lang geleden. Een feel-good flick met een wat dun verhaal, maar een sterke boodschap. Pay it Forward is op zich géén naief idee. Ik voelde er wel sterk voor, maar hoe pak je dat aan?

Gaan mensen het niet raar vinden?, gaan ze er niet van opkijken?, het verdacht vinden?, Fake?

In het begin pakte ik het ook verkeerd aan, maar leerde van mijn fouten. Ik leerde dat het gaat om zaken voor anderen doen zonder er erkenning voor te krijgen, zelfs zonder dat anderen weten dat 'ik' er achter zat. Niet alleen gratis dus maar ook onbaatzuchtig. Het enige doel ; de wereld een beetje beter maken, lekker zonder groot plan.

Mijn opa in de Groenstraat - een eenvoudige en wijze man - zei me ; "doe goed en kijk niet om". Het duurde lange 'zelfbewuste', 'eerzuchtige' jaren voordat ik dit ook goed kon. Nu is het eigenlijk tweede natuur. 

Ik begrijp nu ook beter dit principe waar vooruit-betalen op steunt m.n. lukraak, spontaan, toevallig, voetstoots, willekeurig, anoniem, op goed geluk, in het wilde weg, ineens, abrupt, onverwacht, plots, blindelings, in een opwelling, zomaar kleine dingen doen voor iemand. 

Het paste niet meteen in mijn doordachte manier van doen, ik ben nogal een denker, maar het was precies wat ik toen mankeerde in mijn leven ; spontaniteit. Het past nu wel heel goed bij mijn ietwat rebelse natuur dus is het me toch meer 'eigen' gebleken als ik dacht ! 

In het Engels 'acts of random kindness'.

Breng het in de praktijk en je zult ervaren dat het jou ook iets oplevert zonder dat dit je bedoeling is. 

Welke die spontane, toevallige, willekeurige dingen zijn die ik doe ga ik hier niet in de verf zetten. Ik re-post hier wel een blog van een Amerikaanse internetkennis die er een vijftigtal opnoemt. Inspiratie voor jouw eigenste willekeurige daden !

O.k. eentje vind ik leuk om zomaar te doen ; wees supportief voor anderen, of veeg stiekem iemands stoep, of laat een gehaast iemand voor aan de kassa, of, of, of

.. Je gaat ze spontaan ontdekken, en eens de schellen van je ogen gevallen zijn, is er geen houden aan.

A mind streched by an idea never shrinks back to its original size !

Of toch wel 

The term Pay It Forward represents an act of kindness that will positively impact another’s life. This term is usually designated to small and random acts of kindness that anyone is capable of achieving. Sure, you could donate 1,000 to charity, and that would be a wonderful act of kindness, but paying it forward is more geared toward simpler tasks that are encouraged on a daily basis.The Idea Behind Paying it Forward

According to the original post by Belinda Munoz, author of the blog The Halfway Point: Choosing Positivity, the main goal of paying it forward is to take the focus off of oneself and analyze how they can brighten someone else’s day. Looking out for number one and taking what is offered and what you’ve earned is human nature. Giving is much less intrinsic in our nature, but the benefits can be just as rewarding. Knowing that you brightened someone else’s day and asked nothing in return is a gift in itself and worth experiencing.

Photo courtesy of http://thehalfwaypoint.net/2009/09/50-simple-ways-to-pay-it-forward/

50 Ideas for Random acts of Kindness

1. put a quarter in a meter, any meter, that’s about to expire
2. leave a copy of a really great book you’ve read in a cafe for someone else to enjoy
3. be nice to the customer service people who are trying to help you with your technological difficulties
4. tip your restaurant server generously
5. thank the cooks, waitstaff and bussers personally
6. say something nice or funny or goofy to the toll booth attendant (like, “Don’t drive too fast, now” or “Glad to have encountered you today”, or something less hokey)
7. forgive a driver directing road rage at you
8. buy or pack a meal for a homeless person (or give him/her your to-go box from a restaurant)
9. give a warm coat to a homeless person
10. offer to do pro bono work on a project where your skills are needed
11. mentor someone
12. make a donation
13. say a prayer or whisper a kind wish for someone
14. compliment a stranger
15. send a box of donuts or bagels or muffins to a construction site
16. next time you leave a foreign country, give all or some of what’s left of your currency to someone who resides in that country
17. next time you’re at the airport, offer to pull the bags belonging to a woman or a mother with child out of theconveyor belt
18. praise generously
19. give local tips (re: restaurants, sights, etc.) to a tourist
20. show respect equally to all human beings
21. put a tip in a street musician’s jar
22. let someone cut in front of you at the grocery store
23. tell a funny joke to a stranger
24. give someone a chance to prove him or herself
25. encourage someone to pursue their dream
26. allow someone to let his or her light shine
27. show support to an artist or writer or musician
28. hold the door open for someone
29. tip a cab driver generously
30. teach a child something you wish you knew at that age
31. smile at someone who’s sad
32. smile at strangers
33. offer sincere, kind words to someone who’s hurting
34. visit a hospice and spend some time with a terminally ill patient
35. volunteer at a battered women’s shelter
36. spend some time with a senior citizen living alone
37. give up your seat on a crowded bus or train or ferry
38. inspire someone to be the best that they can be
39. give someone the benefit of the doubt
40. offer to babysit for a single mother
41. offer the FedEx, UPS or DHL delivery person something to drink especially on a warm day
42. help a pregnant lady
43. sit and talk with a homeless person and learn their story
44. loan something to someone and forget about it
45. loan money on Kiva
46. contribute to a friend’s child’s education fund
47. give blood
48. show respect to a soldier regardless of your pacifism
49. donate to or volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation
50. replace an angry or bitter thought toward someone with a loving thought (or at least try)

Just think about the difference it would make if everyone did at least one of these things every day. Most of them don’t cost any money and have the ability to brighten the day of one or more individuals. As a society, it is about time we took the time to love others; it just might solve some of the social crisis we are faced with. It’s at least worth a shot right?

Read the original story Here

Posted in: Random Acts of Kindness Ideas

22 Random Acts of Kindness Anyone Can Do

By Raj

In times of tough economic times and bleak outlook for the future, it’s simple to feed off of the fear we are presented with on a daily basis. The time of counting on others to change the world for the better has simply come to an end. It will take the efforts of millions of individuals performing acts of kindness in order to change our disposition and eliminate fear in our lives. Think about how quickly an act of rudeness by another can ruin your already stressful day. Now, turn that around and recall the last time someone did something unexpectedly kind for you and how that set a wonderful outlook for the rest of the day.
Cynicism is infectious, but so is kindness. Random acts of kindness on a large scale can truly improve people’s outlooks and allow individuals to live together in harmony. Here are some ways to commit random acts of kindness that take little time and could change someone’s entire day.

1. Make a mixed CD for a friend.
2. Pay for the person behind you at the drive-thru.
3. Tell a loved one how much you appreciate them.
4. Hold the door for someone.
5. Pay for a complete stranger’s dinner while at a restaurant.
6. Let someone jump ahead of you in line.
7. Compliment a total stranger.
8. Send someone a small gift anonymously.
9. Give someone a huge tip when they least expect it.
10. Pick up trash laying around.
11. Help someone with a flat change it.
12. Treat a friend to a movie or concert.
13. Walk a friend’s dog.
14. Write a thank you note for someone who did something nice for you.
15. Cover a co-workers shift.
16. give another driver your parking spot
17. Buy an inspirational book for a friend.
18. Volunteer.
19. Call a friend you haven’t called in awhile.
20. Leave your phone or laptop home next time you go out with a loved one.
21. Donate to a local charity or event.
22. Spend more quality time with family and friends.