With multiple disabilities I need assistance with so many daily tasks. As I am unable to work full time I am on a government benefit. Couple with the additional needs, such as wheelchairs, medical safety alert, medications and paying for assistance. Many ask what I have to give. I see Pay It Forward as an attitude. A deliberate choice we make when we walk out the door each day to serve others or in my case my carers walk in the door. Yep! Buying a stranger a cup of coffee is a neat idea, but PIF or giving doesn’t need to involve money. Another term you can use is an act of serve or voluntary work.
I have one thing that being single and not being able to work. Would you want someone who has uncontrollable seizures working for you? Where my body fails, my mind takes over and a very creative mind at that! I process things that money can’t buy and gift and talents that many don’t.
A lot of my time is given to sharing knowledge. Someone else gets the credit and even paid for my research big deal! If you really want to Pay It Forward get over yourself and do it quickly. The way I see it is knowledge is mind the ideas are not.
During the 12 Gifts of Christmas some ways I pay It Forward was to write testimorals for companies I brought products for.
An attitude of thanks goes along way. I have a take-away shop at the end of my street. Exit assistance is no trouble. Tell the young staff they ROCK said more than thank you. Sometimes Pay It Forward is about using generational lingo or dialect. That takes listing skills and time. Believe me people noticed these things is a society that is time poor.
Go back to basics – Grandma’s baking, write letters, make phone calls rather than text. (OK I’m a text hater!) mending, ironing, wash cars, often to return trolleys. They don’t need to be elderly, disabled or have kids hanging off them. Random acts of kindness is helping anyone when opportunity presents. You don’t know if the well dressed person is late for a flight or come from a funeral. Don’t judge Pay It Forward to everyone.
Give up your seat especially if you got the best one! If you got a window seat, offer it to a child who can look out the window in awe. By the way getting to enjoy their sense of joy is their free gift to you.
Hand make cards and gifts (don’t buy handmade – do it yourself! If you cheat your cheating yourself) OK when you have CP your friends can tell and the impact is always greater but I bet your friends and appreciate the time and effort you put in too.
Write Letters – do you know there’s elderly people in nursing homes that never got a visit, a present or even a card over Christmas signing up to write to the forgotten ones international is one of my favourite gifts I gave that and writing to one of my carers who had a pretty tough year.
Adopt a grand-parent, niece or nephew - with family breakdowns there’s kids growing up without father figures and single people like me who don’t grandkids. (I am very blessed that my nieces and nephews visit.) or you could baby sit a friends children so they can have a date night.(remember to charge it to the Pay It Forward account. `
Donate blood – in Australia you don’t get paid to donate blood, blood products or organs.
I also donate online – a great charity is I give a buck! You can give as little as a $1 to a specific child’s need. For example bed rails. If an items costs $2,451 then 2451 give $1 the special need is able to be purchase. That’s a lot less than a cup of coffee.
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