Have you ever taken the time to think about how far a good deed could travel? This is an interesting question because I believe that far too many of us shy away from “giving for the sake of giving,” because we believe that our non-monetary contributions are inconsequential in the bigger picture of life. For some reason, we are under the impression that simply expressing how much we admire, care, or acknowledge an individual will only travel so far. But I am here to tell you that this is not the case because our words are VIRAL. Our words have the ability to enter someone’s heart, in an instant, and etch a place in their soul, which could result in altering millions of lives due to our ability to take the time to recognize this individual.

My belief is that the world is searching for someone who unconditionally cares. This does not necessarily mean that this individual needs to become a lifetime partner, but for the moment when paths are crossed, the act of compassion, combined with the willingness to serve another, could literally circle the globe as a result of the recipient’s newfound perspective. When someone begins to feel good about the “who they are,” they will begin operating from a different frame of mind and develop a desire to share their story. Let’s think about the BRANDENTITY INTERVIEWS because each individual, who I am so fortunate to speak with, is not being compensated other than the ability to share their story. This interview provides an opportunity, which leaves each person fulfilled, as they realize the far-reaching potential they may achieve from sharing their message with the world. Each of these interviewees has the possibility to transform the existence of millions of people as a result of their willingness to be transparent. This epitomizes the Compounding Effects of Giving and the viral capacity of a good deed.

I was thinking how I could enable you to envision the power associated with unconditional caring, and although the example that I am about to discuss might seem extreme; it captures the essence of giving for the sake of giving. Imagine a mother, who recently went through a divorce, and is now responsible for raising three children on her own with limited financial resources. She begins working three jobs, simply to cover her expenses, and keep a roof over their heads. During her dismal state, a co-worker approaches her and says, “I just want to acknowledge you for everything you do because you have become an inspiration for me. I recently separated from my husband and felt empty inside, but as a result of watching how you live your life, it made me realize I can do anything!” In this situation, both women gave to one another in the form of an example and an acknowledgement. The single mother of three proceeds to her second job as a waitress, with newfound energy as a result of the compliment she received, and approaches a child who is dining with his parents, but not provided with any attention. She talks with this boy and asks him, “What do you want to be when you get older?” The entire physiology of the boy changes as he declares, “A fireman, but my parents want me to be a lawyer.” The single mother of three, who just received the compliment and is feeling incredible about herself says, “Well, I want you to know that I believe all of your dreams can become realities.” In order to make a long story short, this child, who was given “unconditional caring” from the single mother, ended up becoming a fireman who received recognition for his heroism in saving hundreds of lives. One of those lives became a doctor who developed a medical device for heart valve replacements and another became a teacher that influenced the lives of hundreds of children. I like to refer to this phenomenon as the Compounding Effect of Giving.

It is important to realize that this is an extreme example, but exemplifies how our words can be viral. The catalyst for this domino effect was a simple act of recognition directed towards a woman, who was experiencing extreme challenges, which triggered her sense of consciousness, resulting in the empowerment of a child to follow his dreams and save hundreds of lives. The inverse of this is also true because our negative words have the potential to paralyze people and destroy aspirations. Imagine if the single mother was not recognized and remained in her state of depression, unable to be conscious and thus unable to impact those around her. There is truly no way to measure the distance that our words will travel, but with this being said, it feels substantially better to infuse possibilities into someone’s life, rather than criticize and destroy someone’s desires.

Therefore, our words, both positive and negative, are viral, and I want you to realize that although you will never know how far reaching your message will travel; it still feels wonderful and fulfilling to give for the sake of giving…

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Acknowledgements for the Picture from Flickr