The Gift of Paying It Forward

We all have those life changing moments in our lives, those times where you look back and know you have changed the course of your life and others.

Looking back over my life I have been fortunate to have had many. Some have been brilliant moments that have filled me with awe and lifted me into realms of happiness I could never imagine, others have seen me plunge into darkness where I have wondered whether I had it in me to come out the other side.

On a cold, wet, wintery Boxing day in England 2016 I had one of those moments. After spending Christmas overindulging, I got up before anyone in the house had started to stir, put my welly boots and wet weather jacket on, and braced the elements to clear my head.

As I began to walk an idea started to brew in my head, then suddenly an image appeared, quickly followed by another, and another. What initially started as a little niggle, within a few minutes became a barrage of information bombarding me every second.

I hurried home, sat at my computer and began to type. I began to ask numerous questions of myself as I tried to get to the bottom of the thoughts that filled my head.

Would life have been any different if I had been gifted with the wisdom I had now?

Would I have changed any part of my life to make it easier, less challenging?

What words of wisdom did I wish I had received as I navigated through life and would I have taken them if they had been offered?

As I began to ask questions, an idea of a book began to form. A book that would not only inspire, empower and lift the heart of the reader, but give back to women less fortunate as well.

With a clear picture in mind I contacted a few women I knew and talked about my idea. Word quickly spread and within the short space of a month not only had I started to hear from women around the world, the desire to pay forward our stories to help others had started to take hold as the first ever “The Pay It Forward Series: Notes to My Younger Self” book took shape.

So why do I share this with you?

We often think that paying it forward requires a huge amount of effort or money on our part, but the ripple effect you can send out into the world can be so simple. For 18 women it was to pay forward hope, wisdom, knowledge and inspiration gained through the experience of life, for others it can be the simple act of a smile, a coffee or anonymous donation.

Here are 10 easy ‘Pay it Forward’ acts that you can do with minimal effort on your part

1. Pay someone a genuine compliment – Seeing the joy and shock on another’s face when you say something nice will light up your heart

2. Send a positive message or email to three people in your life and thank them for being in your life and for the contribution they make

3. Open the door for strangers coming up behind you and smile as you do

4. Turn off your phone and take time to be truly present with those around you, don’t let distractions get in your way

5. Write a LinkedIn recommendation for someone who has helped you, in your working career

6. Write a letter to a teacher that made a difference in your life

7. Offer to babysit for a friend for free

8. Understand that the experiences you have had in your life, can be shared with others to give them hope, wisdom and inspiration.

9. Give up your seat on the train or bus

10. Pay forward the gift of a good book, write a message and share the words that have uplifted and inspired you

To learn more about ‘The Pay It Forward Series: Notes to My Younger Self” book and how you can join our movement to impact on 1 million lives around the world click here: