Paying it Forward: Random Acts of Kindness

We have all hear of these phrases "paying it forward" and "what goes around comes around" and we might think of it as a 21st Century concept, one to be espoused now in this time of uncertainty and spiritual awakening.

But this idea isn't new - like all good ideas it has been around a long time, from the time of Buddha 2500 years ago and perhaps even before. The Greeks were well acquainted with it - Menander's comedy The Grouch (sounds like a Jim Carrey movie) centred around the theme of "Paying it Forward" when it won an award in 316BC.

"Paying it forward" comes from the idea that a Random Act of Kindness cannot be repaid to the person who gave it to you - they are, by their nature, strangers and our contact with them is fleeting: they just happen to be passing by when your glove drops out of your bag, unnoticed; they are the occupant of the taxi you have just vacated and who kindly hand to the police the wallet you hadn't noticed had been left on the seat. As you cannot pay this kindness back, you need to "pay it forward". Instead of repaying the kindness to the person who showed it to you, you share it with someone else in another Random Act of Kindness.

It is a notion which has been gathering momentum over the centuries and seems to be coming to a crescendo. Benjamin Franklin, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Ray Bradbury, amongst others, have embraced it. There are "Paying it Forward" Foundations and even a "Paying it Forward" Day which is now a global event. Pay it Forward Day this year is 27th April 2017 - put that date in your diary right now.

Here at WA we know the benefit of Paying it Forward. The majority of people here want to help someone. But why should it be on just one day a year? Why don't you do something meaningful for someone else every day? Wouldn't that be great.

So I want to suggest is that when we each log in to WA, we make it a habit of going into the unanswered questions and helping someone. Some of the questions have been there - unanswered - for over 3 years ... Let's make it our mission to have all the unaswered questions answered. Make this a daily Random Act of WA Kindness. Not only will that RAofK help someone move their business to the next level, you will also feel great.

Let's face it, tomorrow, or the next day, we might have an unanswered question of our own ...