What happens when you “pay it forward”

“You can get everything in life you want — if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” ~Zig Ziglar

Yesterday I wrote about the economics of holiday spending and the real meaning of generosity. Throughout the day, which happened to be Giving Tuesday, I also thought about the phrase “paying it forward.” To pay it forward means you remember your own good fortune and help someone else (sometimes anonymously) without expecting something in return. It’s a different kind of reciprocation.

I’ve learned over the years that whenever I share what I have with others, my life magically improves, too.

Of course, it’s harder to be generous with our resources, time, money, or abilities if we think we don’t have enough to give. Frugality is necessary, at times, but stinginess grows from a shortage mentality — the belief that there’s never enough to go around. In my most selfish moments, I’ve neglected to give because I believed others didn’t need my help, or they hadn’t “earned” my generosity. Sometimes I’ve refrained from giving a gift because I didn’t want the receiver to think I expected reciprocation.

Gifting doesn’t have to cost much. Time and effort have value — especially when you give from the heart. Even the smallest acts of generosity can strengthen relationships and improve our health and wellbeing. Giving to others may look altruistic but it’s actually self-serving, in a positive way. Can you imagine what life would be like if we all looked out for each other? ~CL