My friend Danny Rosin and his daughters did a simple, but wonderful exercise this past week.  They went to a Dollar Tree Store, local to them in North Carolina, and hid $1 bills in various places around the store.  They put them on shelves, stuffed them in elf hats, and hid them under laundry detergent bottles.  In a post on Facebook, Danny said the goal was to “try and surprise folks who might need a smile.”

Simple.  But magic.

This is the kind of activity I love.  It costs very little (for many of us) but can bring real joy to someone in need.  To be clear, they might need the dollar…or they might just need the joy.

Danny and his daughters, and their fun activity, remind me of a question I think I should ask myself each day.  If I ask myself this question each day, it can help re-frame my mind on tough days, and improve my positive impact on my community.

What good have I put into the world today?

The “good” you push out does not have to cost money.  It might be a smile or a text or a blog post.  You don’t have to look for ROI on this investment.  As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t.  It’s not about whether someone will “re-pay” this good you have pushed out.  When you view it as a transaction, you will most likely be disappointed.

Just ask yourself the question.  Push out the good.  The universe will take care of the rest.

As I sit here in front of the keyboard, that is the question ringing in my mind.  What good have I put into the world today?  It’s time to go create the answer.

Kirby Hasseman is the CEO of Hasseman Marketing, a full service marketing agency located in Ohio.  Learn more about Hasseman Marketing here.  And if you are interested in have him speak at your next event, you can learn more here.