Want to pay it forward and share the love? Here are 8 inexpensive ways you can.
Here at Miss FQ, we believe giving back to family, friends, community and the planet is an integral part of living a fulfilling life; so every ‘pay it forward’ moment we experience, whether giving or receiving, doesn’t go amiss—and we’re big about taking some time out to acknowledge them and be grateful for them.
From homemade gifts to giving the gift of time to a good cause or even just buying products that are better for the planet (Love Beauty & Planet, we’re looking at you here!), there are so many easy ways to brighten someone’s day and truly make a difference just by putting some extra thought into every action we take. We also believe being kind can have a flow-on effect, bringing about a greater ‘giving back’ movement to both people and planet, and in turn, helping to make the world around you a little kinder too.
Scroll to see what #smallactsoflove the Miss FQ team have given and received lately, that you could replicate yourself:
“There’s nothing I love more than seeing the look of delight on someone’s face when you give them a gift they adore or surprise them with a kind gesture or compliment. However, I do think we often forget to treat ourselves with the same levels of kindness and #smallactsoflove, so doing this on the daily – whether it’s giving yourself some positive self-talk, cuddling up to your pet or nourishing yourself with good food – is so important to our physical and mental state of being. Personally, I like to take a moment every day to lather my body in nourishing (and delicious-smelling) body products, like the murumuru butter and rose body lotion from Love, Beauty and Planet, and I’ll make sure I take some extra time to massage it in rather than just mindlessly applying it. Aside from my skin feeling super soft, the yummy scent lifts my mood and I also feel good about not spending money on products that aren’t taking a stance on sustainability and protecting our planet — it’s worth knowing Love, Beauty & Planet bottles are made from post-consumer recycled plastic and they’re 100% recyclable too (don’t forget to separate the caps – they’re not *yet* recyclable, but they will be soon…).”
—Kelly McAuliffe, digital editor
TRY: Love Beauty and Planet Muru Muru Butter & Rose Body Lotion
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“A while ago I was standing in line at the supermarket and at the checkout I was fumbling in my handbag when I suddenly had the realisation I had left my purse at home. The man behind me saw this as an opportunity for a random act of kindness and gave the checkout girl his EFTPOS card. It was only $20.00 but I was really grateful! I tried to get his details to pay him back, but he just smiled and walked out of the shop.”
—Zoe Walker Ahwa – editor
“I admittedly have a once worn, forever torn approach to my wardrobe all too often, so at times I find myself turning my nose up at beautiful pieces in my closet. I’ve found a system that works for me and allows me to give back to others, but still keeps my wardrobe looking fresh. When I’ve moved on from a ‘fast-fashion’ piece that I no longer love, I donate it to my local St. John Opportunity Shop (a charity that I volunteer at from time to time) and alongside this, I rent out the designer pieces I can’t part with just yet… I then use that money to buy new pieces for my wardrobe, which get recycled and eventually get donated. So I guess you could say my fashion habit allows me to give back and look great too!”
—Maxine Fourie, digital content producer
“Quite often when I’d walk past someone in the hallway at work, I’d always think to myself how much I love their dress/shirt/earrings, but wouldn’t say it out loud. I started to think what a waste that was – it can give someone just the boost of self-esteem they need to attack their day with confidence! Now I make a conscious effort to speak these thoughts out loud and help someone to feel good!”
—Courtney Ramsdale, commercial brand manager
“I recently caught up with a friend (who I hadn’t seen in years) for coffee. Completely unexpectedly she had brought me a bunch of daffodils from her garden and lemons from her tree. It was a really touching gesture, both in its simplicity and thoughtfulness; it is also really meaningful to receive a gift that someone has grown or made themselves, that is truly useful, nourishing and sustainable. So often gift-giving can seem wasteful or consumerist, so I much prefer to give or receive flowers or something environmentally friendly.”
—Emma Gleason, features director
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“I volunteer once a week for Big Brother Big Sisters charity with a little girl. I really enjoy giving back to my community and spending my time with her. Giving your time is such an easy thing to do; just one hour a week and it doesn’t require any financial commitment but it can mean the world to and make such a difference for someone else.”
—Lisa Deken, account manager
“It might sound silly at first, but if a stranger asks me to take a photo of them, I always try my best. I’m inspired by a family holiday in Italy a few years ago, when a shy couple on their honeymoon asked my Mum to take a photo of them in front of the Trevi Fountain. She cleared the crowd two metres either side of them and managed to get the perfect shot for them with no other tourists in the frame – we still laugh about it now but that couple will have the perfect shot to remind them of their trip forever. You never know where someone else has come from or where they are going, but it’s nice to help them capture a special moment in time.”
—Jessica-Belle Greer, features editor
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“I was sick with a cold and had a super busy week with work when my flatmate texted me asking me if I was okay and if I’d be home soon; I let him know that I was feeling tired and was just going to have an early night. When I got home I’d found that he’d put his heater in my room to heat it up for me and left a vitamin C sachet on my bed. I’d had a tough day and it made me feel a lot better. I wasn’t looking forward to coming home to my cold room so it was a nice surprise and it made my week!”
—Gemma Nott, designer
This article was brought to you in partnership with Love Beauty and Planet. Love Beauty and Planet is priced from $9.99-$14.99 and available from Countdown, New World, Pak n Save, Farmers and other selected stores nationwide.
