Helping others helps us

“You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.”

- Zig Ziglar

When you think about some of the most rewarding experiences you have had recently, what comes to mind? For me, I love helping others. It does not matter what I’m helping them with, but that I can be of some value, if even in the slightest way possible. To be of service to others is one of the cornerstones of all the major religions, and it’s one of the easiest ways to boost our own mood. Helping is the very definition of a win-win situation since it can benefit everyone involved.

Whether it’s in our personal or professional lives, helping others is usually baked into our responsibilities. We help our coworkers and customers/clients while earning a living, and help our family and friends outside of our working hours. Many of us even make an effort to give time, money and resources so we can help others who may not be as fortunate as us. I don’t have to explain to you how great it feels to help others. You know. This is just a friendly reminder. 😊

Photo by Chanwit Wanset on Pexels

Now, it’s important we do not spread ourselves too thin in an effort to help others. If we are not taking care of our own wellbeing, it makes it tougher to help others with theirs. We only have so much bandwidth each day. It’s also important to make sure we are not allowing others to mistake our kindness for weakness. We are not being fair to ourselves when we allow others to take advantage of our generosity or when we give so much that we don’t have any gas left in the tank to address our own needs. It’s important to set boundaries so we can feel like we are at our best when we are helping others.

As long as we are making sure we are addressing our own wellbeing in the process, helping others tend to their wellbeing is one of the more rewarding things we can do for ourselves. You should not have to ask yourself, “What’s in it for me.” The benefits speak for themselves. You have felt and experienced them. In the process, we also choose to set an example of what it means to truly engage in the human experience. People helping people. We are all in this together. Life can be so much more enjoyable and rewarding when we look for opportunities to help others out along the way.

From Subatomic Zen: A personal growth blog blending Spirit and science