It was a rough week of a rough month of a rough year. Work had been stressful. I got another rejection of my manuscript. And despite my best efforts, my weight hadn’t budged all this month from being over a pound from my target range. And if I didn’t get back to it by next week, I’d have to pay $14.95 next month for Weight Watchers.

When I went to my weekly meeting, the scale showed me 0.2 pounds up from last week.  I wasn’t in the best of moods as I took my seat.

But two other members, completely out of the blue, talked about how I was an inspiration for them. They discussed my tracking streak  and how it encouraged them to do the same. Here is my current Weight Watchers tracking streak:

I left the meeting feeling even more motivated and more determined to get back to goal. And even if I don’t make it by next week, I’ll still continue to work hard to stay healthy. I didn’t go through all this effort and expense and make all this progress just to give up because of a $14.95 charge.

This is an example of how you get what you give. When you give to others, it finds its way to coming back to you—often when you need it the most.

For example, I make a habit of donating blood. The gift cards and t-shirts are nice, but what I treasure the most is the email from the Red Cross saying my donation helped patients at a hospital. When I had an emergency appendectomy in 2011, I probably needed blood from a donor. The cycle of generosity keeps people alive.

We live in a time of take, take, take—but we’re now seeing the costs of a life without reciprocity. This week, we witnessed a man who lived a life of privilege but ignored his responsibilities, finally facing consequences for his actions.

But what I experienced today is what happens when you give freely without any expectation of return. The good you do for others eventually comes back to you because people always remember those who helped them when they needed it the most.

Related topics:

Interview with Karen E. Osborne The language of health Three boxes of books Gratitude for the chance to do more

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