Development with Danielle© — Paying It Forward in the Trades

Paying it forward means being ambassadors for good, especially in the fall months and leading into the new year.
 

Welcome to Development with Danielle©, My Weekly “Women in Construction” Blog!

It feels good to do good, especially at this time of year. The weather is changing, the landscape is changing, and opportunities abound to touch the lives of others. My focus as we head into the holiday season is to spread goodwill and encourage my fellow construction professionals to make a difference in the lives of others.

How wonderful that we are equipped to help, inspire, and be the example…

Has anyone ahead of you ever paid for your meal at a drive-thru? Has anyone at a check-out lane ever helped pay for your groceries? Receiving kindness from others really makes an impact. It’s heart-touching and may even be life-changing.

Paying it forward is one way to keep the good vibes going and cause a chain reaction of positivity which our world desperately needs right now. I believe we, as ambassadors of the trades, are wonderfully equipped to help.
 

Paying It Forward in the Trades

My team members at Right Choice Construction are always looking for opportunities to pay it forward. Maybe a mom with a car full of kids is scrambling to find loose change to pay for her gas. Maybe a violinist is beautifully serenading people on a public sidewalk with his instrument case open to donations. Maybe someone has a flat tire, has lost a dog, or needs used furniture for a college dorm. Whether donating dollars or physically stepping in to fill a need, every kindness helps someone’s life change for the better.
 

The Smallest Acts of Kindness Can Make a Huge Difference

Here are a few ideas that can make a big impact, and you probably have great ideas as well!

• Feed and clothe the homeless (my company’s initiative this fall). Making a trip downtown with food and supplies is a worthwhile venture in paying it forward, especially as the nights turn colder.
• Donate to a food pantry to fight hunger in our cities. Perhaps pick up a few extra supplies every time you shop and drop them off at your local pantry. Sometimes canned goods are accepted at schools and churches as well.
• Donate to an animal shelter. The needs of homeless dogs and cats are never-ending, and shelters and rescues desperately need money, dry and canned food, blankets, pet toys, water and food bowls, leashes and collars, puppy pads, kitty litter, cleaning supplies, and much more.
• Adopt, don’t shop! Consider rescuing a kitten, cat, puppy, or dog from shelters (which are overflowing). If you are looking for a specific dog breed, some shelters and rescues have full-blooded pets just waiting for a home. It’s just a matter of doing a bit of research to find your breed…or adopt a super mutt!
• Ask for charitable donations instead of gifts for your birthday or Christmas. You might have a favorite nonprofit or know of several in your city. Suggest that your friends, family, and colleagues give gifts in your honor to support the causes you know and love.
• Let people cut in line (in traffic or at the store). You never know what their stories are or why they’re in a rush, but helping them out can mean the difference between being late to daycare, attending an important interview, or getting to a doctor’s appointment.
• Donate blood at the next local blood drive. Even if you can’t stand needles or the sight of blood, your donation is lifegiving and truly a gift of love.