Patty's Full Circle Blog

Poem written by a resident of The Night Ministry

How you figure

Where did you get the impression I was normal?

How did you figure that?

How did you figure I had low self-esteem?

Why would you ever think that?

Why do you think I come off as mean?

I’m actually really nice.

What gave you the idea I was inexperienced?

I’ve  done it more than twice.

Why can’t you see me for who I am?

Is it because you don’t know me like that?

Where did you get the impression I was normal?

How did you figure that?

Author: LB, 19

Last night we started the pay it forward random acts of kindness movement and continued it today. Post a comment to share your experience and story about giving and receiving the r.a.k.

Today I started 2 myself…

1) At Caribou Coffee on Ashland, I gave the barista $5 and instructed her to treat someone to a coffee and then give the r.a.k. card with the instructions and link to this blog. She had a big smile and was excited to be a part of the project. I’m looking forward to hearing her story and that of the latte r.a.k. experience.

2) -15 degrees in Chicago. I step off the bus and a woman is there and asked me to spare change. This is an everyday experience for me, yet there was something  different about the expression on this woman’s face. I gave her $5 I had in my pocket (from the pin someone bought from me earlier in the day to support www.artworkscommunity.org) along with a r.a.k. card and instructions to pass on a good deed. We’ll see…

Submitted by Caryn…

Wednesday, May 6th, Morning Time.

Today, after our regular networking meeting, I was sharing conversation with Patty, Nate and George when Patty found a $20 bill on the floor of the cafe. I told her, “You spot it, you got it!” She then took the $20 and had change made into four $5 bills and gave each of us a $5 and challenged us to pay it forward. I thought to myself, wow, this is unusual. I proceeded with my morning and stopped in at Peet’s Coffee and gave the assistant manager the $5 and said to her to use it to pay for another customers coffee, tea or sweet. That $5 paid for two people’s morning coffee and tea. As I witnessed the transaction, the first person was shocked and became a little tense and thought it was strange to accept it, but she did. The second person was ever most gracious in receiving and thought it was so awesome that somebody paid it forward. He was grateful and it made his day! He was grinning ear to ear! It in turn made my day to see his delight from this random act of kindness!

When I am feeling down and stressed out, I find the best prescription is reaching out to help someone else.  When I feel tired and run down like I have nothing left, I muster just enough energy to volunteer or make a positive difference in someone else’s life. The energy doesn’t come from a self-righteous pat on the back, or the self congratulations that comes with knowing that I did something “good.” The feeling of renewal comes from the the new perspective I gain of myself through the act of helping another. When you find and harness energy that you didn’t know you had for the sake of helping someone else and witness others dig even deeper for the energy to help themselves (for survival) or others (as a vocation) it gives you perspective and changes your belief of what’s possible. All of a sudden your situation is not as bad, your reservoir of energy is not as depleted, and your character not as weak.

The Full Circle Effect:

A favorite quote of mine that captures this for me is “When you dig another out of their troubles you find a place to bury your own” I don’t know where it came from or who said it, I found it on www.quotegarden.comand held on to it because of how it perfectly captured this phenomenon.

Service to others is inherently rewarding to the giver(s). This is the Full Circle Effect and it always play out in one way or another when people genuinely give of themselves for the benefit of another.  This is compounded even more when the giving is the collaborative effort of a group.

Now is a great time to test out this prescription. We are all impacted by this recession in one way or another and we are all feeling the psychological impact of fear, depression, and desperation that are a result of hard-times and media induced paranoia.

Giving to others will help free us from this trap by showing us our own abundance. When you give away things–time, objects, resources, energy–you realize how much you have. Giving creates abundance.  

Free Sample: Experience the Full Circle Effect with Random Acts of Kindness

It is easy to do. Just go out and commit an act of kindness. The “random” comes in to clarify that the act should not be associated with a specific purpose such as a holiday or celebration and instead “just because”… The deeds should be committed without any expectation of compensation, including recognition or praise, and if the act is done anonymously even better. Even when there is no expectation for a reward, it is impossible to avoid. Giving always comes Full Circle. Now get out there and see how the Full Circle Effect work for you.

Random Acts of Kindness Ideas:

• Pay someone’s toll
• Pick up someone’s tab at a restaurant
• Write an anonymous note of gratitude
• Volunteer
• Sign-up to be an organ donor
• Share your umbrella
• Give up your seat on the train or bus
• Let someone cut ahead of you in line
• Listen to someone’s story

Pass It On:

Passing on the experience is the ultimate form for giving back. Empower and encourage others, especially the recipients of your kind acts, to join the movement. Show others how the Full Circle Effect can work for them and how they can empower themselves by empowering others.

Join the Movement:

Random Acts of Kindness Week  February 9-15, 2009

Help Others - Pay it forward with Random Acts of Kindness

29 Gifts - Give for 29 straight days

Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

Service Circle - Social Networking for service-minded folks in Chicago

Share your Story!

Comment below and share your Full Circle Effect experience, ideas for committing random acts of kindness, hopes, fears, tips, and kind words.