Paying It Forward
The “pay it forward” movement is not a new concept. According to Wikipedia, it dates all the way back to 317 BC where it was used as a key plot concept for a play in ancient Athens. There are small documented events of the “pay it forward” notion throughout history; however, it became a widely popular concept after the 2000 movie of the same name, which was based on the novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde.
The simplest way to define “pay it forward” is that when someone does something for you, instead of paying that person back directly, you pass it on to another person instead. One of the easiest examples of this is buying a coffee for the person in line behind you at the coffee shop and then they buy a coffee for the person behind them and so on.
What is the point of all this? Why do so many people live their lives according to the “pay it forward” principle? It has been proven that acts of kindness build exponentially in a community and because people believe that one good deed deserves another. “Paying it forward” can make the world a better place.
from "What Does It Mean to Pay It Forward?" by Jessica Blackmer, www.onlineblog.bryantstratton.edu
The simplest way to define “pay it forward” is that when someone does something for you, instead of paying that person back directly, you pass it on to another person instead. One of the easiest examples of this is buying a coffee for the person in line behind you at the coffee shop and then they buy a coffee for the person behind them and so on.
What is the point of all this? Why do so many people live their lives according to the “pay it forward” principle? It has been proven that acts of kindness build exponentially in a community and because people believe that one good deed deserves another. “Paying it forward” can make the world a better place.
from "What Does It Mean to Pay It Forward?" by Jessica Blackmer, www.onlineblog.bryantstratton.edu
Example:
Karma Teachers Yoga in Vancouver uses a combination of donation and Pay-It-Forward.
Located in a small studio in Gastown, Karma Teachers offers free or by donation yoga and meditation classes. When signing up for classes on their website, you are given the payment option of donating at the door, or paying it forward. They have tons of classes throughout the day including Power Rock and Gentle Hatha, and are well known for their community vibe and inclusiveness. “If someone can’t pay, we ask them to just smile at everyone for the rest of the day. Pay it forward, show people how yoga is changing your life by smiling."
Located in a small studio in Gastown, Karma Teachers offers free or by donation yoga and meditation classes. When signing up for classes on their website, you are given the payment option of donating at the door, or paying it forward. They have tons of classes throughout the day including Power Rock and Gentle Hatha, and are well known for their community vibe and inclusiveness. “If someone can’t pay, we ask them to just smile at everyone for the rest of the day. Pay it forward, show people how yoga is changing your life by smiling."