I am a female.
I am a student teacher.
I am a coach.
I am a camp counselor.
I am a bartender.
I am a sports player.
I am a friend.
I am a daughter.
I am a sister.
I am a girlfriend.
I am a cousin.
I am a niece.
I am a best friend.
I am a brownie leader.
I am a tutor.
I am Romanian.
I am a leader.
I am a landlord.
I am an adoptee.
I am a team member.
I am a person who likes to put others first.
I am a someone who finds joy when helping others.
I am a person with goals which all include helping others.
I am a person who tries her very best to pay it forward in life.
Over the past few days i have reflected over my bucket list which i wrote a few years ago. On the bucket list there were a number of crazy adventurous stints and events for me to 'live'. Throughout my travels i crossed alot of these off. The most significant on the list though is Pay it Forward.
Paying it forward to me, means making a difference: smiling at a stranger, helping the old man cross the street, paying for a strangers parking and/or basically taking the time out of our own lives to help somebody else. "Be the change you want to see in the world" has been a favourite quote of mine since as long as i can remember and i have stuck by this as much as i can.
I guess it really hit me the most when i was ten years old. My Mom, Dad, Brett and I visited our birth country of Romania. With us we took nine large bags of donations, which were collected by the warehouse, churches, schools and other small businesses. I was only ten but was overwhelmed at the support and love we had from our own province of Taranaki. These were complete strangers helping us out, i just couldn't believe it. I believe the biggest memory i have from that trip was when i visited my birth families village. The children lined the fence all anxious to meet me. Passing out new pajamas, toothbrushes, candy, underwear, toys and sports equipment just made the children's eyes shine with delight. And they just wouldn't stop smiling! It wasn't till i was a bit older that i learnt to understand that how fortunate we really are in our own country. I just can't wait till i can go back to Romania and repeat history!
Three years later in year ten i watched a film called, Pay it Forward. It was and still is the best film i have ever seen. It is about a young boy trying to 'save the world' a little bit at a time, and to do this, the idea of paying it forward came about. There are so many people we come across in our lives and there are still so many that don't know about this idea.
I have decided that it's a personal goal of mine to reach a certain number of people by paying it forward to them, but actually ensuring they know what is happening. I and many others i know pay it forward on a daily, weekly or monthly basis and this is what we need more of. Small causes or groups such as Rotary/Rotoract strive to make a difference in other peoples lives and their communities. Why can't more people be like them?
As a leader, teacher, and coach i know that each day is a new day with so much that can be taught and shown to different people. Leadership is shown widely across these areas and is a strong point in standing up for what is right and for what i believe in.
Continuing to make a difference in the classroom when i teach, i hope to share the Pay it forward story with my students. My coaching, entails the smallest things but i want to focus more on the positives in each student. As well as encouraging them to do the same. Being a leader as mentioned earlier is where it all starts from.
I feel that because so many people have used "Pay it forward' to me i have been inspired to do the same. And why not? Friends, family, professionals, teachers, coaches...the list could go on. I'm just passing it on!
Making a difference in other peoples lives continues on from TODAY - there are no excuses!
I'm just an ordinary girl living in a big wide world like everyone else. I'm me! Nothing special. Just wanting to make a difference. You should choose to as well!
"Find the joy in your life, nothing else matters!"
I have decided that it's a personal goal of mine to reach a certain number of people by paying it forward to them, but actually ensuring they know what is happening. I and many others i know pay it forward on a daily, weekly or monthly basis and this is what we need more of. Small causes or groups such as Rotary/Rotoract strive to make a difference in other peoples lives and their communities. Why can't more people be like them?
As a leader, teacher, and coach i know that each day is a new day with so much that can be taught and shown to different people. Leadership is shown widely across these areas and is a strong point in standing up for what is right and for what i believe in.
Continuing to make a difference in the classroom when i teach, i hope to share the Pay it forward story with my students. My coaching, entails the smallest things but i want to focus more on the positives in each student. As well as encouraging them to do the same. Being a leader as mentioned earlier is where it all starts from.
I feel that because so many people have used "Pay it forward' to me i have been inspired to do the same. And why not? Friends, family, professionals, teachers, coaches...the list could go on. I'm just passing it on!
Making a difference in other peoples lives continues on from TODAY - there are no excuses!
I'm just an ordinary girl living in a big wide world like everyone else. I'm me! Nothing special. Just wanting to make a difference. You should choose to as well!
"Find the joy in your life, nothing else matters!"
3 comments:
You are an inspiration Rachel. It is a shame there are not more people in the world like you. It is a privilege to be you friend. I know Chris would agree. Keep up the good work.
totally agree Rach, except your comment 'I am nothing special' is wrong, you are special! Everyone is and I look forward to watching what you can achieve in life. The world is a much better place when people stop focusing on what they can get for themselves and instead concentrate on what they can do for others.
Rach you are such a special chick. This world is better place cause your here. Reading this blog really inspires me to help people and it is so nice to see a young vibrant woman who has a clear vision of service to others
So glad you are passionate and I'm sure you will touch many hearts as you have touched mine. keep going and I'm sure good things will be coming your way!
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