Birthday Wish: Random Acts of Benevolence
I’ll be celebrating another birthday on June 28th, and for the past few years I have used this occasion as a time for reflection.
I often ask myself;
What I have done in the past year to make this planet a better place to live?
What contributions am I most proud of?
What legacy will I leave behind?
On birthdays, you generally receive material gifts, which you can’t take with you, so this year I am reaching out to you for a special favor which I’ll get to in just a moment.
As I have aged, the clock and calendar constantly remind me that my time here is finite, and that I best be mindful of my time and focus.
I am well aware that I have limited time to build something of substance, something that will transcend my own existence.
Therefore my goals must be clear, my responsibilities fulfilled, and my intentions and actions must be honorable.
I believe that leaving a legacy is substantially more important than leaving an inheritance, and that the ultimate test of the impact of my life is twofold:
Whether the world I leave is qualitatively different from that which I inherited, and …
What contribution have I made to that change?
With those thoughts in mind, I am reaching out to you to help me make a difference.
We can help do this by engaging in RANDOM ACTS of BENEVOLENCE.
On June 28th, I am asking you to do a nice deed that will positively and significantly impact the lives of three people.
Your reward will be the good feeling that comes from helping another person and in nurturing benevolent acts in others.
Guidelines
1. Identify three people or groups of people whom you would like to help. You can also recruit others to participate in this benevolent act with you.
2. Be creative, use your melon, and think of ways to use your time, talents or special gifts to blow someone’s mind, or simply put a beautiful smile on their face.
3. Remain anonymous.
4. Leave a note for the beneficiary of your benevolence. Ask them to “Pay it Forward” and to do a good deed for someone else.
5. Send me your story; let me know what you did and how it made you feel.
I have always felt that there are not enough NICE stories in circulation and hope that through your actions we can inspire random acts of benevolence throughout the world.
By participating in these acts you are helping to make the world a better place and inspiring others to do the same.
I believe that once you recognize the importance of these acts and consider their implications, it becomes difficult to imagine daily life without engaging in random acts of benevolence.
Thank you for helping me to make a positive and lasting impact.
P.S. Any day is a good day for a nice deed!
What To Do Now? Engage in three random acts of benevolence and remember to Comment and Share your story with friends and colleagues.
38 Responses to “Birthday Wish: Random Acts of Benevolence”
Betty-Jane Osborne June 27th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
This is a very benevolent way to celebrate a birthday! I will gladly celebrate in this way with you. Gary you shouldn’t think of your time as limited. Think of it as lasting into eternity with no limits you can gain volumes in gracious acts of kindness. BJ
El Corbino June 27th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
Happy Celebration of another revolution of the sun. Hope this one is the best yet.
Judy G June 28th, 2010 at 12:21 am
Hello Gary,
What a wonderful request! I haven’t done it yet, but plan to. However a few comments…..last week I did a simple thing, while going into a store, a woman was coming out with her cart, I held the door, while she waited for me to go on through. When I continued and told her to come on, as she went through she said as she walked by, thanked me, and said I hope someone will do the same for you. Simple thing, but it meant kindness to her.
And several years ago, while in the middle of family problems, I had a bad day and had suffered verbal abuse from a family member. I went through the line at a store and the clerk was so nice to me,,,,,I almost just burst into tears….because I felt the clerk treated me so nicely, and at that time I felt I served little purpose.
So you never know what impact we have on others, and how much they might need a kind word. You just never know when what you say or how you treat others might be the only kind word they have that day.
Thanks for requesting this from us. What a difference little actions can mean.
Judy
Johann June 28th, 2010 at 2:25 am
Can you give me examples ? of something that will positively impact others without giving them something physically?
veenu June 28th, 2010 at 3:54 am
THANK YOU..IT IS A GREAT THOUGHT TO BE ACTED UPON
I LIKE IT AND I WILL SURELY FOLLOW IT.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Franz June 28th, 2010 at 7:30 am
I’m sure I will copy this. A greatful wish.
Happy Birthday!
DEODETE PACKER VIEIRA June 28th, 2010 at 7:55 am
Hi GRB
Since last year – September – until today, your birthday I went through 258 – 100 DC’s lessons – in a nonstop journey.
Every day I feel more aware of all aspects of my life. I would like to ask: Take my consistent actions as a reward to your dedication. I’m acting bold because I have you as a model.
Thank you for the opportunity to share it with friends.
Have an outstanding day!
Deodete – Brazil
Sy Mahmoud June 28th, 2010 at 8:10 am
Happy birth day 1st
Happy birth day with all its greatness…
Happy birth day with all its light and delight
Happy birth day for the mere existence…
Happy birth day that you can see the light…
Happy birth day when you pay it forward…
every day and every time…
idowu June 28th, 2010 at 8:56 am
Happy birthday! you are doing a great job and I’ll try to follow your direction.
Kathleen June 28th, 2010 at 9:10 am
You are so inspirational. I will fill your request! Thank you for your column.
Happy Birthday!
John Trindade June 28th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Dear Gary
You are my main “mentor” and soon will follow in your steps and realize my goals in life.
Besides investing in your courses, I’ve purchased lots of your books in the Amazon. They are the lamps on my path!!
Let me share this day with you: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! May the Universe always bless you!!
Del David June 28th, 2010 at 9:14 am
Happy Birthday! A fantastic idea, I’ll do the same on my birthday in November.
John June 28th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Thanks Gary for your contributions to mankind, it’s making a difference.
sunday akpan June 28th, 2010 at 9:32 am
You’ve been a great asset to the whole world especially those who have come in contact with you. It’s nice to be associated with you.
Happy Birthday and many more returns.
Charlene Bradley June 28th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Happy Birthday.. and what a great idea. I have 19 employees and my goal is to get them engaged in this idea also so that we can at least touch the lives of 60 people.
I have always love the concept of “pay it forward” and just think Gary, the Lord will bless you over and over until your cup runneth over. May God always have is hand in what you do.
sadia June 28th, 2010 at 10:10 am
Beautifully expressed words touch the heart, one can feel the craving and the longing to do good for the world. The hunger to serve can be sensed in your words.
I wish I could write something… something different that makes the world a better place. Indeed we need to act a better way and provide opportunity to others for learning. Happy Birthday!
Melinda June 28th, 2010 at 10:26 am
Happy Birthday Gary, it’s my birthday tomorrow! My wish to both of us is to have a happy day! A prosperous year! And tons of smiles!
Victor June 28th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Happy Birthday Gary. Imagine if we all took the time to do as you instructed. I will do my part.
Charmaine June 28th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Happy Birthday !!!
Thanks for continuing to inspire us. I will be thinking about this during my long flight to Asia.
Enjoy your special day with your family!
Mary S. June 28th, 2010 at 11:47 am
I have always considered birthdays to be Celebrate Your Life Day. It sounds like you have an amazing way to celebrate your life by committing random acts of benevolence. I will definitely work on fitting more acts of benevolence into my life. I know that I remember all the times that others have helped me and it has made my life much better.
mark ehrlich June 28th, 2010 at 11:51 am
Gary,
Just as profound as your trainings and teachings. You make me think, you make me question and you make me act. May this be the best year yet!
Happy Birthday!
Everything Counts
Mark
Herb K June 28th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Easy to say, not so easy to do. How to give the inspiration an action plan and actually do it. Happy Birthday (same as my mother’s).
Gary Ryan Blair June 28th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Hi Johann
What is a Random, Anonymous, Act of Kindness?
It’s simply a nice deed that you do for someone, anonymously, that will positively impact their life.
All I’m asking is one life touched. If you want to do more, I would welcome those gifts.
It may be giving a flower to a homeless person and watching her smile….
It may be paying for the coffee of someone behind you at Starbucks….
It may be sending flowers to your wife at home, but without mentioning that you sent them…..
Whatever you do, ask them to “Pay it forward” in someway. Basically, they will do the a nice act of kindness, for someone else.
This would be the best gift you could give me.
Please, post what you did below and what happened.
Gabrielle June 28th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Dear Gary,
Last night I was just finishing up a fast in hopes of God granting me some things I needed…….When I read your email,,,,I thought Ok God,,,I guess I’ve got this backwards…..so today I’m fasting for a friend who suffers from chronic pain,,,,I’ve placed names on a prayer roll, and I’ve sent a thank you card to the employees at my favorite restuarant….still have a couple ideas to do……..Oh, by the way,,,,President Monson, prophet of the Mormon faith did the same thing on his birthday…….Happy birthday to you,,,,,,and thanks for being an answer to a prayer……….
Trish June 28th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Happy Birthday! Hope you have a wonderful day and year ahead!
Just recently, as I passed through the ‘toll’ bridge I decided to pay for the car coming up behind me… as I glanced in the mirror there was little traffic on the road and the next car was a long way behind …so I thought… great!… I will get out of the way before it pulls up behind … however, when I went to explain to the lady at the toll desk I had to explain a few times before she eventually took the 1.90 euros from me for the other car … by which time the car was nearly up behind me…. anyway … off I sped as fast as I could and caught a glance in the mirror observing that the car had stopped… and when almost out of sight I caught a flash of lights to acknowledge ‘thanks’ ……it felt good…. but boy did I have a job keeping ahead on the motorway that day (nearly broke the speed limit in the process)… as I could clearly see the other car trying to catch up with me …. nice idea… but hard enough to keep anonymous, particularly when it appear the other car was trying to catch up…
rachel June 28th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
I helped 3 people today and I helped myself by knowing that I did it. The stories feel too personal to share, but still I wanted to say thank you for the beautiful suggestion of doing good intentionally and spreading it around. Have a happy birthday
Gary Ryan Blair June 28th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Hi Rachel – Thanks for sharing and it sounds like you had a great day and created some special memories.
Gary Ryan Blair June 28th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Hi Gabrielle – absolutely loved your message. Thanks for sharing and my very best to you!
Gary Ryan Blair June 28th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
Hi Trish – great story and a very nice act on your part.
Bravo!
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Monique June 29th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Hi Gary,
As a “graduate” from your 100-day challenge I acted by the TNT principle and asked my co-worker if she could think of a random charitable cause we could do something for. She told me about a children’s home where more or less accidentally children are brought.
These people actually were not intending to have a children’s home. Even the police would now drop children at their house. The couple is retired; and then social workers came and started telling them all the conditions they had to meet (and they do not receive any government subsidies!!!). And well-meaning people bury them in clothes and all kinds of other stuff.
However, they need to feed the children every day, so all the nice stuff sent from Holland is ok, but they cannot eat it. So I went with my co-worker to the store, we purchased food items for them and I asked her to drop it off for me and not tell them where it came from. They were surprised and happy, and felt bad they did not know who to thank.
In addition, a homeless person who often wanders in my street was just standing at the shop when we left, so I went back in and bought cheese and bread for him.
And in the evening I gave a good friend a kiss. And yes, you are so right, it does make one feel good. Then I wrote a friend, who helped me last year do some other random acts of benevolence and she promised to do some as well.
Monique June 29th, 2010 at 10:51 am
And Gary, I hope you had a great birthday!
Catherine June 30th, 2010 at 10:40 am
Hi Gary, Happy Birthday to you! I thought you were sending me a Happy Birthday and wondered how you knew it was my birthday. It seems, we both share the same day! Hope yours was as good mine!
Johann June 30th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Hi Gary, All of the suggestions you make won’t be anonymous, but even so I agree it makes the world a better place to live in. I myself enjoy it tremendously when someone is exceptionally kind to me when I bought something from their business. But I think even more important than that is to mention some inspiring and live changing ideas to them , things that might help them grow or deal with lives harsh realities.
Lena Juross June 30th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
Happy Birthday Gary. Thanks for all your inspirational words and lessons. There are many times during the day that I reflect on my lessons and make decisions and choices based on what I have learnt.
Hope you had a great day.
Pat July 1st, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Hi Gary, What a wonderful way to spend your birthday! I have a young co-worker with a family (and limited income) who loves working in her yard and having pots of flowers. Recently we took a trip, so I asked her to “baby sit” my 3 big pots of petunias. We took them to her house. When we got back – she called to find out when she should bring them back. I told her they were hers. She was so excited – but not as happy as I was to give them to her!
Recently our neighbors went on vacation – while they were gone I mowed their lawn, they weren’t sure who mowed it, but finally figured it out and were so grateful. I loved doing that – I get so much back from it.
My BFF is in the process of moving back to Nebraska from Colorado. The day she was coming in – I stocked her frig with bottles of water and put down some throw rugs. The house was empty for about a month or so, I had put a lamp with a timer on it so it looked lived in.
It just takes so little to make someones day better. You just reminded me to try harder and do this every day. Thanks and I hope you had a very Happy Birthday!
Susanna July 2nd, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Hi Gary, As I understood, your wish was that “we” would :
1) Help 3 people or peoples
2) Use time, talent and make someone smile
3) Remain anonymous.
1) On Monday I made 2 fresh peach pies from scratch, one large one was for my neighbors, 2 elderly sisters who are both in their nineties; (they unfortunately do not leave their apt. anymore.)
When I brought them the pie and ice cream, they were asleep and may not become aware of the deed. So I chatted with one of the home nurses. Its one of those sad stories to see 2 human beings living in an unconscious state. I will not elaborate further…….
The 2nd pie was for my husband.
2)- Then I bought some socks and men’s underwear and brought them to a church who collects them for the homeless.
This is the only deed I was able to do anonymously.
3)- I sent 2 small checks to 2 charities, for which I might otherwise have waited another month or two to contribute.
4)- The 4th thing was to put a smile on someone’s face: I sent an e-mail wish to GRB with an attachment, a home made e-card, hopefully, it evoked a smile. As a last mission “shipped”, I had covered an ordinary $ 2.- composition/note book with an artsy (experimental artwork) cover as a small token of appreciation for getting “us” to read “The Linchpin”. I got a lot out of that book, it speaks to me personally being that I am an artist. I also fully understand his meaning of being an artist, that in whatever we do, we can be creative, bringing one’s own happiness to work and therefore “ship” a better product. Like in one of your videos’ — “do everything lovingly”. There is so much to learn still.
My favorite chapter is “the resistance” and the “shipping.” — I’m reading the new book now….
I hope you had a happy birthday and I wish you a great 4th of July weekend!! Enjoy your family.!
christina lee July 5th, 2010 at 5:03 am
Random Acts of Kindness are often totally undetectable as they are simply the act of keeping one’s mouth firmly closed when the impetus to speak is
withheld. I keep my mouth closed many times every day. My takeaway is that I practice patience which leads to more patience and ultimately to being courageous. So I benefit the most. Besides, keeping silent gives the speaker time to hear what they have just said.
Being cordial has to count as well. Keeping scowls off one’s face and smiles on is a gift to the world at large.
But then, if I tell all my secrets, no one will feel special ! Rest assured, I get back more than I give.
Thanks for making it easy to give you a gift !
You have given so many people in the programme more than they can ever repay.