Negativity bias is real! I was reminding myself just today that for every act of hatred, there are ten thousand acts of love or kindness happening unreported all over the world. In homes, on the streets at the store…
Don’t let the news get you down. Things aren’t as bad as all that.
I think you touched on how to make pay it forward work: make it as low effort as possible.
In this case, while you had lots of work, the people “paying it forward” had almost none. Thus the chain was able to go for as long as you were willing.