Everyone knows someone who gives uncondtionally because they care more about others than they do about themselves. These are people who never stop trying to make the world a better place. Whether they’re helping a handful of people or hundreds of thousands, their actions make a positive impact.
Some of these people get showered with thanks and gratitude for their hard work. Others are silent soldiers who do good but don’t get rewarded as much as their counterparts for any number of reasons. From saying “thank you” to nominating someone for a prestigious award, there are a variety of ways to put the spotlight on do-gooders. I recently learned about a really creative way to recognize people who shine.
It’s called the Yellow Envelope Project. It’s an initiative started by the House of Shine, which brings together people who are committed to being their best and to bringing out the best in others. The goal of the Yellow Envelope Project is to recognize everyday citizens who make a difference. Each week, people who participate in the initiative send letters of gratitude in a yellow envelope to the selected person of the week who will receive the letters. I really like how the person of the week’s story is included so you can clearly see why this person is deserving of recognition.
Pretty creative, right? If you’re any bit inquisitive, you’re probably wondering about the story behind this project. Claudia Beeny is one of three ladies who makes up the House of Shine team, and she answered a few questions for me about the Yellow Envelope Project:
When was the project started, and what inspired you to start it?
The Yellow Envelope Project is an outgrowth of my website, www.houseofshine.com. – a website dedicated to teaching and promoting principles of excellence. We thought that one way we could promote the principles of shine would be to catch everyday citizens in the act of being excellent – of brightening their corner of the world by going above and beyond.
Our focus is very clearly on everyday citizens who go out of their way to shine. They are the teachers, coaches, neighbors, postal workers and baristas who help keep our communities going. You will never see them on the front page of the paper or the Today Show. They might never win an award or receive a plaque, but they shine because every day they get up and find ways to pour themselves into the lives of others.
We were inspired to start the Yellow Envelope Project because we recognize that shining takes effort and that sometimes going above and beyond can leave you feeling tired. We were inspired to find a way we could help keep these people motivated. Our idea is, each week, to select a winner and to flood his or her mailbox with anonymous letters of gratitude. Letters that, of course, are mailed in yellow envelopes.
How many people have nominated someone for the Yellow Envelope Project since it started?
The project has existed for a year now, and during that time, more than 100 people have been nominated. Currently, we select one winner a week, and on Saturday mornings, post a mailing address for that week’s recipient at www.yellowenvelopeproject.com. Participants have one week to write their note and mail it before we meet again the following Saturday to recognize another person who shines.
Do you have a favorite story to share about a nominator or a recipient?
A few weeks ago, we flooded the mailbox of a woman who volunteers quite a bit of her time in the neonatal unit of her local hospital. It turns out she was out of town the week her mailbox was flooded with yellow envelopes. She was visiting her grandsons, both of whom received devastating medical diagnoses that week. When she returned home she was greeted with countless anonymous letters of gratitude from around the country. That felt good.
Last weekend we sent our first letter to a teenager. Her mother wrote in telling about how her daughter ate lunch with special needs children, despite the bullying and ridicule she received from other middle-schoolers. Encouraging her at such a young and impressionable age felt especially important.
Why is spreading happiness your passion?
I think promoting excellence is more of a passion for me than spreading happiness. In a world where so many people worry only about themselves and take pride in finding loopholes or in taking the path of least resistance, I am motivated to send a different message. I am committed to harnessing the energy of everyone who believes that settling for mediocrity is the surest way to beget more mediocrity and that individual acts of excellence can eventually add up.
I want people who shine to know that others notice. I want them to know we realize how much extra energy it takes to go the extra mile and that we respect their commitment to going above and beyond. I want people who shine to have letters – physical proof – that their time on earth matters and that small gestures in small communities really are appreciated. I want them to know they are a part of a larger movement – a growing group of people committed to powering the planet with shine.
Do you have any future plans for the Yellow Envelope Project or House of Shine that you’d like to share?
We wouldn’t shine if we didn’t have big plans for the Yellow Envelope Project and the House of Shine, would we?
In the immediate future we will develop a new Yellow Envelope Project website. The site will feature Yellow Envelope Project recipients, as well as introduce readers to other ways they can join our mission to Power the Planet with Shine. We are working on initiatives that introduce concepts of shine to elementary school kids, as well as providing workshops and trainings on the principles of shine. Naturally, another goal is that each week we would have hundreds of nominations rolling in from all over the country, spotlighting people who go above and beyond.
Our plan for the House of Shine is to establish the site as a resource for people who are committed to principles of excellence. Currently, we host a daily blog on our site, but we would also love to feature vendors, products and websites that shine, offer virtual workshops and someday make our message of shine every bit as recognized as “Life is Good.”
So, how can you get involved? You can mail a yellow envelope and letter of thanks to recipients, you can nominate a recipient or you can select your own recipient. Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner, taking part in the Yellow Envelope Project is an awesome way to show thanks for someone who puts a smile on your face. I know who I’m nominating!
