#35actsoflove Non Round Up

7 / 17 / 176 / 22 / 22

This year’s birthday celebrations were different than years before and I think I’m done asking for acts of love in my honour every year.

Not trying to be dramatic, just working out my thoughts via the blog. So, let me explain…

I’ve always been really excited to announce on social media and the blog that it’s my birthday and I’m organizing acts of love. From 31 years of age to 33 it was 3 years of begging (asking) my social media community to do an act of kindness on my behalf. I would post and tag people and everyone would rally and do an act of kindness in my honour as my “present” for the day.

At 34 years of age, I didn’t feel good about asking people to do an act of kindness because it felt like a chore and I was relying on others to make the day amazing which goes against the reason why I started this in the first place. So I asked Mike (my boyfriend) to execute 34 acts of kindness with me! We pulled it off. My heart was so full that day and so utterly exhausted. We vowed to only do one at 35 and go back to asking my social media world to help! So I was hoping at least 34 people in my online world would do one, I would do one and then it would add up to 35.

This year I posted the blog announcement last Wednesday, a few social media posts and then Sunday came along. Facebook wall message after Facebook wall message poured in. From people who I barely speak to, to great friends. Many posted their act of kindness and many others with the standard HBD. I even posted on my wall that I would much rather someone go out and do something kind instead of taking those 2 seconds to use FB functionality to simply send me a generic wall message.

So this morning as I got ready for my 8:30 am EST morning intention setting on Periscope & Facebook Live where I hang out daily, I realized that instead of feeling sad for feeling like I had to beg for acts of kindness I can be fully and utterly grateful for the simple acts I did and the amazing and lovely people who went out of their way to celebrate with me and do good in the world yesterday.

I think the reason why I’m sad is that if I tally up all the acts it won’t add up to my age and thus the achievement didn’t happen and then my expectations may be let down. Instead, if you’re curious I know there are a couple of shots on Instagram, a few tags on Facebook and posts on my wall. I do know that many coffees were purchased for people behind them in line, food was provided to homeless people, dog food was donated to humane societies and flowers were handed out at grocery stores and I personally handed out 35 carnations at a local Ottawa retirement home.

I walked out of the retirement home flooded with love. The smiles that burst onto those ladies face when they get handed a simple flower is everything to me and I’m so glad I could brighten their day and mine. This is my favourite act of kindness on my birthday and I’ll see many of these beautiful ladies next year 🙂

I realized this event had become me relying on others to make my day amazing and that is exactly what I didn’t want to happen so I’m pulling back. No #36actsoflove next year. Just more flowers at a local retirement home and smiles shared with lovely ladies and gents.

34 Acts of Love

7 / 13 / 167 / 12 / 16

It’s that time of year again! It’s my birthday on Saturday, July 16 and I couldn’t be more excited! For the past three years I’ve celebrated by doing planned acts of love. Because my birthday has previously fallen on a weekday I usually manage to do around 10 acts myself and rally my friends, family & social media community to do one act of love in my honour so that all the acts combined add up to my age!

Here’s how 33 turned out. This year I’m turning 34 on Saturday. Since my birthday falls on a weekend, my boyfriend, Mike and I are going to attempt to do all 34 acts together!

Of course I’d still love if you commit an act of kindness in my honour and bring a little bit more love into the world this weekend. If you feel like documenting it please share it on social media with the hashtag #34actsoflove & #randomactsofkindness.

Here are 24 acts we’re going to try and commit. Mike told me that he planned 10 surprises ones so I only had to come up with 24.

Buy coffee for someone in line behind me
Buy granola bars for the homeless
Bring clothes to a homeless shelter
Put motivational quotes on cars
Buy flowers and hand out to ladies
Help a senior put their grocery bags in their car
Return grocery carts to their huts
Bring flowers to a retirement home
Write thank you cards for local firemen & policemen
Free hugs
Hand out $5 Kobo gift cards
Looney on a vending machine
Looney on parking meters
Walk dogs at the Humane Society
Bring healthy muffins to the staff at the Humane Society
Get well cards to sick kids at CHEO
Gift certificates for coffee to nurses
Colouring books for kids at a park
Mike is going to donate blood in my honour
Pick up garbage on the parkway
High five runners on the parkway
Drop of canned goods to food bank
Mow a neighbour’s lawn
Bake desserts for neighbours

+ 10 Secrets Ones Mike Apparently Has Planned for Us

Stay tuned for an update of how the day went next week!

#33ActsofLove Round Up

7 / 17 / 157 / 4 / 22

My birthday came and went. I’m one year older, a little bit wiser, a little bit sillier but so well-loved and was hopefully able to spread some love around yesterday that made the world just a little happier and more kind.

Here are all the acts that I was able to do and were done as bday gifts!

1. I handed out 10 thank you cards to coworkers before they came into the office.

2. I put happy quotes on cars all over Liberty Village

3. I bought the lady behind me at Balzac’s her tea this morning. She asked me why, so I told her and asked her to pass along the love later in the day. She had such a wide smile spread across her face it was lovely!

4. I handed out some Kobo gift cards to people reading at lunch and on the subway yesterday on my way home. I’m a bit of a nerd about it I wait until the subway door is almost open. I tap the person who’s reading and say “I work for Kobo and I wanted to say thank you for reading! Here’s a gift card!” and then I run off the subway. Doing kind acts makes me a bit shy but hey continuously pushing those comfort zones!

5. I bought yellow Gerber Daisies and handed them out to ladies in my work neighbourhood. I gave one to a little girl and she exclaims “wow” with so much wonder it made my heart leap!

6. I roped two coworkers into walking down to hand out water bottles to cops at the Pan Am street blockade near Exhibition Place. The cop goes “why are you doing this?” When I responded “because it’s my birthday” he exclaimed “there really are nice people in the world”

7. I bought cupcakes for my teammates at Alpha

8. I gave granola bars to the homeless man at the Gardiner Jarvis exit

9. My favourite social media story from this week came on Tuesday when I contacted Canadian Blood Services and asked if I could donate. Unfortunately, because there is no known cause for MS they cannot accept mine. So I tweeted asking someone to donate on my behalf and within a minute Laura in Calgary had made an appointment for yesterday. She made me happy and cry so hard.

10. Bessie one of my coworkers was already scheduled to donate blood on the morning of my birthday. After seeing the social posts of Laura offering to donate in my honour it was lovely to hear another donation would be made for my birthday!

11. Amalia and her coworkers bought a 14-year-old girl stuff for camp with a little spending money.

12: Erin gave a skipping rope to one of her clients!

13. Kyla bought a Starbucks gift card for a lucky recipient. She’s been celebrating with me for three years but can’t quite seem to get the hashtag right 😉 LOL LOVE YOU KYLA

14. Chelsea made homemade carrot cake balls for co-workers at the gym

15. Nelson bought someone lunch and gave away a free PT session

16. Our CMO at Kobo bought a homeless man named Herc shoes while he was away on business. I got a selfie of Herc to say thank you!

17. Cody offered to donate blood on my behalf as well! The best part is he wore a pin!

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18. John handed out Kind Bars with $10 Subway cards to three lucky people!

19. Nicole paid for someone’s coffee order behind her at Tim Horton’s!

20. Corwin gave a thank you note to the cook at Rogers in Brampton!

21. Axel bought someone a coffee at Starbucks

22. Another tear-jerker cam3 from Sue. She’s also an MS Warrior and was introduced to me when I was diagnosed. She posted the kindest words. She had an MRI check-up this week and so she bought a teddy bear for someone in need of some cheer at the hospital

23. Kaella bought coffee for someone in line behind her & donated a bag to Goodwill

24, 25, 26, 27 & 28 Emily went all out. She trained a client for free, donated to a dog rescue center, tied doggie poo bags in the dog park, made lunch for the guy who collects change at Carlaw and Lakeshore and brought Vegan treats to the BoneHouse staff.

29. Michael delivered popsicles to a kid’s tennis camp

30. Melanie brought bagels in for all her co-workers for breakfast

31. Krysten bought someone Starbucks

32. The Gavito Sisters were approached by someone asking to buy them coffee so they obliged!

33. Alyssa brought leftover food from a photo shoot to a homeless shelter

34. Athena stopped randomly to help an elderly lady change a tire. I still don’t know how to do this for myself so it’s amazing she was able to help someone else!

35. Clifton helped give away goodies at BlackToe running!

36. Annie made breakfast in bed for her husband and heart-shaped french toast for her 3 kids! What a lovely way to start the day!

37. My girl Aubrie helped by supplying a new coffee grinder and kitchen utensils, for a community effort in Leslieville to provide a recently re-homed older gentleman with a new start on life. A big bag of coffee and kitchen cheer if you may, to a well-deserving man on a new start in life.

38. Barb donated to Plan Canada on my behalf!

39. Karen bought flowers for her next-door neighbour!

I know there were many other acts that went on without being posted on social so thank you for helping me celebrate in so many different ways! Comment below if you’d like to share how you gave away some love yesterday! Thank you for making me feel so loved.

31 Acts of Love

7 / 1 / 137 / 8 / 13

I was perusing through Pinterest one day and found an amazing image (the one below) that led me to this blog post.

First things first – WE SHARE A NAME!! Ok I was a bit too excited about that. Second of all I was in happy tears reading her post. This is the most selfless and amazing thing someone can do on their birthday. In a world where way too much pressure is put on having an amazing day, I just simply love this idea. No getting drunk. No monetary gifts for me. Just giving of oneself.

The reason why I really want to do it on my 31st birthday is because I turned 30 last year and it was not good. It was supposed to be a big year for me. THE BIG 3.0. I can’t help but reflect back. I turned the big number then ran Warrior Dash with my girls a couple days later. I took myself out of my comfort zone and felt so accomplished and then a couple days after that I was calling off my wedding a month before the big day. My 30th birthday marked a time that was not good and everything that it was NOT supposed to be. So this year. At the beginning of my 31st birthday month I am planning the best gift to myself that I could think of. I want to give away 31 acts of love. In the other Robyn’s blog post she calls them random acts of kindness but they were pre-planned with love. So I’m calling my birthday this year 31 acts of love.

My birthday is July 16 so it falls on a Tuesday this year. I know that I can’t complete 31 acts all by myself and work full time so I’m asking for help from my family and friends. The below list is 10 things that I’m going to do personally on my birthday. I now need 21 people in my life to join in and come up with one act of love to do on my birthday. From the social media realm to in real life friends to family I would love for you to commit to one act of love on my bday. Will you spread love to someone who may need it that day?

Please comment on the blog post on what you’d like to do! Then on July 16th we’ll celebrate by giving love and sharing it on Instagram (#31actsoflove). Are you in?

Robyn’s 10 Acts of Love

1. Pay for 5 people’s orders at Starbucks in the morning.

2. Hand written thank you notes to every street car or subway employee I see that day.

3. Take a bag of fitness gear to the women’s shelter.

4. Offer to carry grocery bags for elderly people from the grocery store to their car.

5. Place happiness quotes on car windshields at the grocery store.

6. Take stuffed animals to Sick Kids Hospital.

7. Bring water bottles with emergen C packages to the nurses at the Hospital.

8. Bring baked goods to my 3 neighbours on all sides of me in the condo.

9. Offer to take my neighbours garbage or recycling out.

10. Bring my concierge a healthy dinner