Global Pay It Forward Day is a holiday observed annually on April 28th. It was created to encourage people around the planet to take a few moments of their time to perform an act of kindness for another human being. The concept of paying it forward is simple.

It suggests that if a person does an act of kindness, this act will have a ripple effect, causing more and more people to perform acts of kindness for one another. Science seems to agree that this sort of generosity among strangers is socially contagious. That’s probably why everyone capable of “paying it forward” should observe this holiday.

The History of Global Pay It Forward Day

Global Pay It Forward Day is a holiday that has emerged fairly recently. It was established in 2007 when Blake Beattie created it, inspired by the book “Pay It Forward” by American novelist Catherine Ryan Hyde.

This novel was published in 1999, and by 2000, there was a movie by the same name starring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, and Haley Joel Osment. The holiday, inspired by both the book and the movie, is now observed in over 85 countries around the world.

Some Facts About “Paying It Forward”

Now that we’re familiar with the act of paying it forward and are looking forward to observing this holiday, we thought we’d share some facts about paying it forward. We hope the following facts will help clarify just how important the process of giving can be—not just to the person receiving the kindness but also to the person giving it.

• Research shows that “feel-good” chemicals are released in a person’s brain when they do something good for someone else.
• There is no act of kindness that is too small or too big. People should give what they can, even if it’s just a “thank you” to a stranger.
• Kindness decreases stress and can change how a person views themselves.
• Paying it forward is a great way to help build community.

Observing Global Pay It Forward Day

Celebrating this holiday is quite simple. All one has to do is perform an act of kindness. This can be something as grand as giving someone who doesn’t have a car a used car, or as simple as paying for the meal of the person behind you in the drive-through. People can also spread kindness through social media using the hashtag #PayItForwardDay.