In all of the hustle & bustle of the holiday season, it’s so easy to get caught up in our own little world. Running countless errands, finishing year-end work, planning for trips, decorating your home — we end up feeling overwhelmed instead of uplifted!

This year, I’m challenging you to a little something different. I’ve partnered with Frost Bank through their Opt For Optimism initiative to “Frost It Forward”: a campaign that aims to lift the spirits of another person through random act of kindness, and in turn, could leave you feeling grateful and optimistic.

THE MISSION

Frost provided me with a $100 cash card to spend on strangers however I saw fit. There are SO many people, causes, and agencies that could use some help and at first the flexibility overwhelmed me! But then I thought about the most basic needs that we could all relate to and it became clear: groceries and gas.

THE PROCESS

I visited two different Houston grocery stores and met incredible people in the process. There were those who genuinely felt my offer of paying for their groceries was too good to be true and were skeptical, so they declined. Others passed on the chance to accept help, instead asking that I please help someone else who needed it more than they did. I was most moved by the overwhelming appreciation of the people who DID let me help them — because even though I was just putting $20 or $30 toward their weekly groceries, they were now able to buy gas that they’d otherwise need to wait to purchase.

In all, I directly helped four different people: one woman buying gas, another woman buying groceries, and two men at different grocery stores checking out as well. It made me want to do MORE!

Frost also provided five $10 cards to encourage others to use the money to help someone else. I dropped one of these cards into the Salvation Army bucket and gave the remaining gift cards out to strangers, who promised to use them to benefit others. Sure, I won’t know exactly how they were spent. But I think that my heart led me to the right players for this incredibly uplifting game.

THE LESSON

At the end of the day, this was a success: I connected with real people, stepped outside my comfort zone, and accomplished my mission of helping people. And equally rewarding: I felt so encouraged, uplifted, and happy!

Frost wants you to think about how you can have a similar impact in your neighborhood, community, city, or country. It doesn’t take a lot of money (or any at all!) to perform a random act of kindness, but the ripple effect it can create is priceless. Visit the Opt For Optimism website to see how you can get involved and help spread generosity!

I hope you take a moment this holiday season to do something special for someone else — and savor the gratitude, hope, encouragement, and inspiration you receive in return!

XOXO,

Keli