Free Coffee- Day One

Well today was one of those days where you wake up and everything starts off wrong. One of my dogs (I'm unsure of which one) decided to poop in the house over night. That was quite lovely to wake up too! My contacts took ridiculously long to put in this morning which led to me rushing all the rest of my AM routine. The rude people in my commute kind of topped the morning off. Once I got to work and had a moment to sip my latte, I realized I hadn't done much to change the world this morning. Nope, I didn't hold doors and I certainly didn't slow down to let people cut in front of me on the freeway.

Upon this realization, I decided today would be the day I handed out my first gift card. I wrote out the card "To a stranger, from a stranger. Happy Wednesday!". I went to Target on my lunch break to replenish some household items. As I looked for a parking spot, I tried my best to be aware of the people around me. Maybe I would see a woman with a screaming kid or an employee that needed something a little more refreshing than an hour lunch break.

Well, I didn't happen to run across anything obvious like that. Instead, as I pulled into a parking spot I noticed a woman in front of me sitting in her car. She was chatting on her phone-actually, she appeared to be listening more than talking. As I cleaned out my purse before getting out of the car (I have a nasty habit of carrying far too much with me which often gets too heavy during shopping excursions), I kept my eye on this girl. She seemed young, like a college student and as I recall, most college students would be quite excited to get free coffee. So as she got out of her car, I got my card ready. Once she was far enough away, I got out of the car and slipped the card on the driver's side window under the wiper.

When I got into the store, I noticed her cute yellow purse. She was still on the phone. I so badly wanted to follow her to see if I could learn just a little bit about her. But, I don't want to be perceived as crazy so I nixed that idea and ran my errands. I always top off my Target stops with some Starbucks, so I ordered a coffee before leaving. To my delight, I spotted the yellow-pursed college student walking to her car. I couldn't believe I might be able to witness her finding the Starbucks card!! To my dismay I reached my car just as she was pulling out--with the card still on her windshield!

But even if she never does see the card, I felt so instantly happy as soon as I left it for her. It was the bad day boost I needed!!

I hope you can take something from my experience today. I certainly learned not to leave gift cards on people's windshields. But most importantly, going out of your way for a stranger can totally turn your day around!! Maybe you want to give it a try?

I can hardly wait for the next handout!

☼ ap

Caffeinated Compassion

I purchased four Starbucks gift cards which will be my first efforts of inspiring progression. I'm going to keep them in my purse and as a nice gesture, offer them to anyone who looks like they could use a little caffeinated compassion. I'm a little nervous for my first attempt, but I definitely looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone a bit. I'm just planning on waiting for the right opportunities to arise. I can't wait to update you guys in a few days to let you know how the first experience went! I'll leave you with this:

There will never be a day when we won't need dedication, discipline, energy, and the feeling that we can change things for the better.

George Sheehan

☼ ap

Change for the better

My mornings tend to give me a lot of insight into the world. I see drivers cut off other drivers on the freeway on my way to work. When I get my AM caffeine fix, I see some roll their eyes at the barista because she didn’t write down their drink fast enough. When I make it to the office, I see people passing by the businessman who dropped his papers on the floor and no one holds the elevator for the secretary running across the lobby. Unfortunately, I witness a number of these events take place every single morning. Something inside me can’t help but wonder if things could be different.

So, I’ve decided to let someone into my lane even if it means I have to slow down. I’ll smile and greet people I don’t even know and I will always hold the door. I’ll hurry through the cross walk if someone is waiting to turn left and I’ll hold the elevator when I hear footsteps running through the lobby. I’ll change someone’s world, even if it’s just for an instant.

I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences and trials with you. I hope that through this blog I am able to challenge your views and traditional thoughts. Most importantly, I hope you are inspired to make a difference in your own life.

I'm looking forward to the things 2009 will bring us.

☼ ap