Last Updated on October 16, 2025 by Jacqualyn

Inside our Thrive Wellness Community, we talk often about healthy living, emotional balance, and personal growth — but there’s another powerful piece of wellness we sometimes forget: giving back.

Giving back nourishes the soul. It builds resilience, strengthens compassion, and connects us to something bigger than ourselves. I know this because giving back has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

It was the heartbeat of my childhood — a legacy of acts of kindness and community outreach that shaped the woman I am today.

Giving Back — A Family Tradition

The importance of giving back was instilled in me by both of my parents. You can read more about how my family shaped my journey in Finding My Why. Family traditions were sacred, and one in particular stands out — “the baskets.”

Every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, my Daddy — as I lovingly called him — would line big wooden bushel baskets under our carport. My mother (“Ma” to us) set up the kitchen like a mini grocery store.

My two sisters and I were tasked with filling each basket to the brim with fresh turkeys or hams, bags of potatoes, pies, and all the trimmings for a holiday feast.

Soon, someone from our local church would arrive to pick them up and deliver them to families in need.

There were no sign-up sheets or selfies to post — just quiet acts of kindness. And yet those baskets didn’t just feed families… they fed hearts. Including mine.

Giving Back, Memories & Traditions Are Real

My Daddy, Joey, was larger than life — a self-made, successful entrepreneur with a heart as big as his dreams. He would give you the shirt off his back or the last dollar in his pocket without hesitation.

When I was 25 — and eight months pregnant with his first and only grandchild — my Daddy tragically took his own life at just 56 years old.

For a long time, I didn’t think I could forgive him. The grief was overwhelming. But through years of searching, therapy, and deep faith, I slowly found peace. Today, I believe in my heart he is at peace too.

Hope, faith, and the dear Lord are a powerful combination.

And part of how I healed was by leaning into what he taught me: that even in pain, we can lift others. That giving back helps heal the giver, too.

A Mother’s Inspiration Is Priceless

Almost everyone called my mother “Skinny,” but to her only grandchild — the love of her life — she was “My Nan.” To my cousins, she was “Nanny.” But to my two sisters and me, she was simply “Ma.”

She had a servant’s heart and cared for everyone who crossed her path. Our home was warm and open to anyone in need. My sisters still live in that same house today — the décor untouched, like a time capsule of her love.

Not a single morning goes by that I don’t think of her. On my drives to work, I often remember our daily phone calls and how they blessed my life.

Time heals… and while she’s no longer here physically, her spirit still dances around me — especially in the form of the yellow butterfly that appears when I need her most.

The Ripple Effect of Giving Back

The lessons my parents lived out every day shaped me deeply — not just in what I do, but in who I am.

They taught me that community outreach doesn’t have to be grand. It can be as simple as dropping off a meal, sending a card, or listening without judgment.

When you give back, you don’t just change someone else’s day — you change your own heart. You find meaning in pain. Joy in struggle. Light in dark seasons. And that ripple keeps moving outward… touching lives you’ll never even see.

How Giving Back Heals the Giver

There were seasons in my life when giving back became my lifeline.

After losing my Daddy, after navigating deep grief, and even as I reinvented life after 50, mentoring others reminded me that my story still had value. That my wounds could become someone else’s roadmap.

Every time I lift someone else up, I feel my parents smiling down on me. It’s as if they are saying, “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep loving.”

Simple Ways to Start Giving Back

Many people think giving back has to be big or expensive, but it doesn’t. Here are a few simple, beautiful ways you can start:

• Volunteer at a local animal rescue, school, or food pantry
• Donate gently used clothes, books, or toys to families in need
• Leave a kind note or coffee for someone having a hard day
• Offer to mentor someone younger who needs guidance
• Share someone’s small business or story on social media

Every act of kindness matters. Every drop creates ripples. Explore more ideas in our [Thrive Wellness Community].

Passing the Torch — Inspiring Future Generations

I am forever grateful to my parents for showing me how to love deeply, serve humbly, and give generously. Their legacy lives on through me — in my work, my motherhood, and my heart.

Everyone is dealing with something, but we have hope… and there are solutions.
You just have to reset your focus, have a little faith, and listen closely for God’s guidance.

✨ Learn about the solution that changed my life
✨ Join me in mentoring others with love and purpose