Most people know that to live a longer and healthier life you need to eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water, do regular exercise in the sunshine and fresh air, get enough rest and do not smoke or take illegal drugs. However, something that should be added to this list is that we need to give something to others.
No matter how bad our situation is, how long it has been that way, whether there is any likely hood of our situation improving in the near or distant future or not – if we look around us there will always be others in far worse situations than ourselves. Yet if we look closely some of these people are at the very least content, if not happier than we are. The main reason for this is because they are focused on what they have and what they can do for others, instead of their situation.
Some ways that you can change your focus from yourself to others and help someone else is by –
- Taking an interest in the problems of others, which can bring our own problems into perspective.
- Give something either new or old, to a friend or a stranger.
- Participate in a fund raising cause.
- Sending a thank you or thinking of you note or letter.
- Share what you know and information that you have with interested persons.
- Pick flowers from your garden or wildflowers and give them to someone.
- Do some cooking and share it with your neighbours or friends.
- Volunteer your time to help out at an event or some cause.
One of the best examples of helping others despite your own situation often comes during a disaster. During floods, fires, cyclones, tornadoes and disasters of every kind, total strangers often go out of their way to help others despite putting their own lives at risk. This is an extreme way of helping others but the feeling people get from it is just the same as doing one of the simple things mentioned above.
While on this earth Jesus Christ taught to, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38.
Helping others boosts your self-esteem, psychological well-being, and happiness because it usually means we are moving and activity helps us to be healthy and happy. We feel socially connected with others, and it just plain feels good to help someone else. By helping someone else they might be able to achieve something that was out of their grasp and you too can share in their achievement.
Until next time – remember, safety first!