Here is the key to living a happier healthier life: inspire and help others. Whatever in life you are going through bad day or good day, get out there and do good! It is so important to help others, in fact, helping others helps yourself– it’s called the Helper Therapy Principle.
“If you help someone up the hill you get closer yourself”
Whatever a group of people are trying to get through, working with others significantly helps people reach their goals much quicker with a better sense of fulfillment. The reason for this is the helpers high– the feeling you get when you help someone else. The helpers high is an amazing feeling that will make you feel so good and can help you live longer.
A survey in 1988 by Allen Luks Luks studied “thousands of volunteers across the United States. He found that people who helped others consistently reported better health than peers in their age group. Helpers reported a distinct physical sensation associated with helping; about half report that they experienced a “high” feeling, 43 percent felt stronger and more energetic, 28 percent felt warm, 22 percent felt calmer and less depressed, 21 percent experienced greater feelings of self-worth, and 13 percent experienced fewer aches and pains”(The Joy of Giving, Post).
Clearly helping others makes you feel good! I encourage you to get out there and get involved, start volunteering and implement helping others in your everyday life. You don’t need to spend money to help others, your act of kindness does not need to be huge, you need to realise that you make a difference and little things can really improve someone elses day.
Here are some things you can do to help someone else:
1. Give a compliment– believe me giving someone a compliment really boosts their mood, especially someone you don’t know. Think about a time where you were having a terrible day and someone told you something as simple as I like your shirt… I bet it boosted your mood… it will do the same for someone else.
2. Make a card for someone just because– an activity I like to do is make a card that says you are noticed and give it to a person you don’t know, chances are they will appreciate it and you will be feeling that helpers high! Also make cards for your friends or family, write something sweet to them, it will mean a lot.
3. Pay for the person behind you in line– if you pay for the person behind you in line for no reason, that is an extreme act of kindness. People will not see that coming and you will feel really great that you let someone experience a random act of kindness.
4. Bake cookies for someone– Bake them for your family or just bring them for everyone at work or school. Bringing some baked goods can quickly boost the mood of the day.
5. Stop and help someone replace a flat tire– If you see someone with a flat tire, or in a car accident, get out and help them! You will feel great to know that you made a difference in someones day when they really needed a helping hand.
6. Just talk to them – Just talk to someone. This will help both you and someone else. You will get out of your comfort zone, and also learn something new about someone. Most people want to talk to others, people like to be heard. So if you want to start-up a convo GO DO IT!
7. Tell someone how much you appreciate them– call up someone you haven’t talked to in a while, let them know how much they mean to you. Everyone at times feels forgotten and like the hard work they do goes by unnoticed. Let them know they are!
8. Write a thank you note to someone who has helped you in the past– An old teacher, family member, friend, anyone who has impacted you. Write them a letter, give them something to hold on to and look back at to remind them how important they are.
9. Wear a sign saying free hugs– This one is so much fun. Just go somewhere with a sign saying “free hugs” you will be amazed at how many people who will want to hug you and how many new people you will meet.
10. Send someone a gift anonymously– send something to someone important to you, friend, family, your work. It’s always fun to receive a mysterious gift.
11. Smile– they are contagious! Smile at everyone they will smile back it will give you so much confidence. Smiling is something you should never forget to do spread them to as many people as you can!
Remember that you make a difference and helping others will remind yourself that you have the power to make someones day, and by realising that you make your own!
What things do you do to help others? Comment and add to the list!