The Stress-Busting Envelope

In many of our programs we discuss the ways compassion can lead to reduction in stress - compassion for ourselves and for others. Most of us have experienced this firsthand - when we give to others we experience reduced stress and increased happiness.

To help facilitate this practice we randomly select an individual in the class to receive "The Stress Busting Envelope." This envelope is filled with $50 in cash. The winner receives the envelope only if they agree to the following:

They will spend the money on someone else that is not currently in the room
They will provide their email address to the instructor so he or she can follow-up to find out what they did with the money

Below we share some of the ideas we liked best. The next time you are stressed and want to try out this strategy come back to this page to help you brainstorm some creative ideas.

"My husband and I went to visit my children at college for homecoming. We all went to lunch and the restaurant was packed with families and a bit chaotic. I decided if our waitress was a college student, she must need the money to work in that environment. She received the $50.00 as her tip." - Andrea S.

"I am blessed with a little brother who is profoundly autistic. One of the few things that bring him peace and no anxiety are Legos. I will immediately spend the money on Legos for my little brother." - Kelly M.

"I made bags and filled each bag with items. We put snacks, hygiene products, a 5.00 gift card to McDonald's and a small blanket. My mom (Jacob is a teenage boy) took me to downtown Birmingham where we see homeless men and women and sometimes kids :(. We handed out a bag to 5 different people! They were so thankful and appreciative! It made me feel so good when they looked through the bag! I even had a guy that saw what I was doing and said he was inspired to do the same thing!" - Jacob N.

"I’m an elementary music teacher in South Atlanta. I used the money on some students I teach who are in need. I used the $50 towards new warm jackets for the winter for those students!" - Casey H.

"When I was at the University of Chicago Cancer Center recently for my doctor visit I bought the prepaid valet tickets and gave them out to five different people. From my experience it can get expensive when you have to go for treatment for an extended period of time. It is nice to not have to worry about paying for parking after a usually stressful and exhausting day of chemotherapy."
- Annette B.

"I spend a lot of time and money traveling to/from NYC for my doctors appts so I know how quickly those parking charges add up. I was so happy to pay it forward by paying for parking for a family while they were also at the hospital."
- Tamara S.

"My daughter is spending the semester in India. I didn’t want her to be anxious or stressed and not rest at night. I got her some really comfortable pajamas, as well as an eye mask and a good travel pillow so that she can rest/relax as she travels through India. She will be traveling to villages throughout India to study health care delivery in India."
- Beatrice J.

"I used the money to help my brother buy sunglasses after he was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease and the doctor prescribed them to help him deal with light sensitivity"
- Laura R.

"I pulled up to the drive-thru at Portillo's and handed the person taking my order the money from the stress-busting envelope. I told him to keep $20 for himself and use the other $30 to pay for the order of the person behind me (who was a random stranger). Then I just drove away."
- Beth K.

"I spent the $50 at my church, which is using the money for its rescue mission in the inner city of Milwaukee."
- Dan R.

"I donated it to the "be foundation". It is a foundation for moms with cancer. To help them in any way they need so they can still be moms, while fighting cancer."
- Angelique D.

“My mother relied on her faith while raising me as a single parent, and it is what got her through difficult times. I grew up going to mass every week and still do. Over the years, I have observed members of the clergy commit selfless acts because of their desire to love others. I feel that I owe members of the clergy a gift after all they have done for me. I will be using the $50 gift to make a donation to Archdiocese of Boston’s Clergy Health and Retirement Trust which is reserved for the “caring and well-being of our priests."
- Sean K.