Marianna Pogosyan Ph.D.

In Helping Others, You Help Yourself

The benefits of social regulation of emotion..

Posted May 30, 2018 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader

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Consider the positive feelings you experienced the last time when you did something good for someone else. Perhaps it was the satisfaction of running an errand for your neighbor, or the sense of fulfillment from volunteering at a local organization, or the gratification from donating to a good cause. Or perhaps it was the simple joy of having helped out a friend. This “ warm glow ” of pro-sociality is thought to be one of the drivers of generous behavior in humans. One reason behind the positive feelings associated with helping others is that being pro-social reinforces our sense of relatedness to others, thus helping us meet our most basic psychological needs .

Research has found many examples of how doing good, in ways big or small, not only feels good, but also does us good. For instance, the well-being-boosting and depression -lowering benefits of volunteering have been repeatedly documented. As has the sense of meaning and purpose that often accompanies altruistic behavior. Even when it comes to money, spending it on others predicts increases in happiness compared to spending it on ourselves. Moreover, there is now neural evidence from fMRI studies suggesting a link between generosity and happiness in the brain. For example, donating money to charitable organizations activates the same (mesolimbic) regions of the brain that respond to monetary rewards or sex . In fact, the mere intent and commitment to generosity can stimulate neural change and make people happier.

Recent research suggests yet another way our well-being can benefit from practicing pro-social behavior: helping others regulate their emotions helps us regulate our own emotions, decreases symptoms of depression and ultimately, improves our emotional well-being.

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Regulating each other’s emotions

Our day-to-day lives offer plenty of opportunities for regulating our own emotions. When we are happy, sad, frustrated or anxious , we find ways of managing our feelings to meet the demands of our environments. At times, however, when the weight of our emotions becomes too much to bare, we turn to others for support. Social regulation of emotion is a key component of our relationships. Whenever we navigate children through tantrums, help a friend through a breakup, or rely on our partners for comfort after a challenging day, we often engage in social regulation of emotion. Whether we are the ones providing the emotional support or the ones seeking it, the 2 most common ways to help others regulate their emotions are through acceptance (showing empathy by validating their feelings) and reappraisal (helping others think about their situation in a different way). A recent study from Columbia University has revealed that when helping others navigate their stressful situations, we are enhancing our own emotion regulation skills, and thus, benefiting our own emotional well-being.

Over a three-week period, participants were provided with an anonymous online environment where they could share their personal stories of stressful life events. They could also provide emotional support to other participants by replying to their entries with short, empathetic messages. Participants helped each other by identifying potential distortions in thinking, suggesting reappraisal strategies or providing words of acceptance. Responses were rated for their degree of helpfulness and participants were given the opportunity to express their gratitude for the acceptance or reappraisal messages that they received from others.

The results showed that helping others to regulate their emotions predicted better emotional and cognitive outcomes for those participants who were giving the help. Moreover, because heightened levels of self-focused attention are common in depression , the more people helped others, the more their helping behavior predicted a reduction in their own depression, thanks to the use of reappraisal in their own daily lives. Follow-up analyses further showed that this increase in reappraisal in people’s lives also affected their mood and subjective happiness. Interestingly, messages that used other-focused language (e.g., second-person pronouns such as you and your ) were considered more helpful and garnered more gratitude from participants. In fact, using other-focused language not only helped the people in need, but also those who were helping. This finding suggests that when providing emotional support to others, trying to fully take on their perspective can increase reappraisal and lead to better psychological outcomes for those who are providing the support.

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Next time you find yourself helping someone with regulating their emotions, consider how your efforts may be providing you with an opportunity to practice for future situations at a distance, and consequently, improving your emotional well-being. Thus, when it comes to the benefits of social emotion regulation, St. Francis of Assisi’s words ring especially poignant: For it is in the giving that we receive.

Doré, B. P., Morris, R. R., Burr, D. A., Picard, R. W., & Ochsner, K. N. (2017). Helping others regulate emotion predicts increased regulation of one’s own emotions and decreased symptoms of depression. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 43(5), 729-739.

Dunn, E. W., Aknin, L. B., & Norton, M. I. (2008). Spending money on others promotes happiness. Science, 319(5870), 1687-1688.

Ingram, R. E. (1990). Self-focused attention in clinical disorders: Review and a conceptual model. Psychological Bulletin, 107, 156-176.

Jenkinson, C. E., Dickens, A. P., Jones, K., Thompson-Coon, J., Taylor, R. S., Rogers, M., ... & Richards, S. H. (2013). Is volunteering a public health intervention? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the health and survival of volunteers. BMC Public Health, 13(1) , 773.

Moll, J., Krueger, F., Zahn, R., Pardini, M., de Oliveira-Souza, R., & Grafman, J. (2006). Human fronto–mesolimbic networks guide decisions about charitable donation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103(42) , 15623-15628.

Park, S. Q., Kahnt, T., Dogan, A., Strang, S., Fehr, E., & Tobler, P. N. (2017). A neural link between generosity and happiness. Nature Communications, 8 , 15964.

Post, S. G. (2005). Altruism, happiness, and health: It’s good to be good. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 12(2) , 66-77.

Van Tongeren, D. R., Green, J. D., Davis, D. E., Hook, J. N., & Hulsey, T. L. (2016). Prosociality enhances meaning in life. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(3) , 225-236.

Weinstein, N., & Ryan, R. M. (2010). When helping helps: Autonomous motivation for prosocial behavior and its influence on well-being for the helper and recipient. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(2), 222.

Marianna Pogosyan Ph.D.

Marianna Pogosyan, Ph.D. , is a lecturer in Cultural Psychology and a consultant specialising in cross-cultural transitions.

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To Take Care of Others, Start by Taking Care of Yourself

  • Whitney Johnson

help others help yourself essay

Most of us are not on the overtaxed frontlines of the healthcare battle, but all of us can be first responders to the need for emotional support. Almost everyone needs connection to others and the opportunity to give and get support right now. So, how can you shore up your mental health and deepen your own emotional reservoir? The author offers four suggestions: 1) Start with self-care. We can’t share with others a resource that we lack ourselves. 2) Ask for help when you need it. If you don’t ask for that support, the need for it will be revealed in ways that don’t serve you. 3) Ask others “How are you?” Take time to listen to their full answer and walk through your personal rollercoaster ride. 4) Look for the positive and say it aloud. Express appreciation, give compliments, and call out triumphs, no matter how small. If you see something good, speak up.

In these difficult times, we’ve made a number of our coronavirus articles free for all readers. To get all of HBR’s content delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Alert newsletter.

As businesses and schools are shuttered, economic uncertainty encroaches, and a pandemic rages worldwide, there is plenty of anxiety to go around. We’re watching our healthcare system be pushed to its limits, but the grief and trauma we’re seeing presages a second wave of need: Before long, our mental healthcare system is going to be stretched to the breaking point as well. As physical distancing continues, we need to make sure that we help alleviate the isolation, loneliness , depression, anxiety, and other mental health impacts that will result, driving a potentially system-overwhelming curve of their own. And now is the time to head off this second crisis.

  • WJ Whitney Johnson is the CEO of Disruption Advisors, a tech-enabled talent-development company and author of Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company .
  • AH Amy Humble  is the co-founder and  President of Disruption Advisors ,  an executive coach, and  former ly  Chief of Staff to Jim Collins .

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Why taking care of your own well-being helps others, our emotional well-being can benefit the people around us..

Friday happened to be the International Day of Happiness, but people around the world feel anything but happy right now. Many of us are stressed and worried, wondering what this global pandemic means for our friends, families, and communities.

The pursuit of happiness is likely the furthest thing from people’s minds. Yet, as Buddhist monk and psychologist Jack Kornfield once told me in an interview , cultivating a joyful spirit can actually help not only us, but the people around us—especially when things are hard. “Our gift to the world comes as much through our being and presence, our smile and touch, our sense of possibility and the mystery of human life, as it does in the specifics of what we do,” he says.

It’s a lovely sentiment, and it also seems to be supported by science. Study after study shows that well-being—either being in a positive mood or recognizing that you have a good life—benefits those in our social sphere, whether we’re talking about our families, workplaces, schools, or society at large. When we’re happy, we’re better relationship partners, more kind and helpful in our communities, and more productive in our workplaces—all of which may be useful during this time of crisis.

help others help yourself essay

In other words, our emotional state affects others, too. Here are some of the ways that pursuing our well-being might make a positive difference in other people’s lives.

Our well-being is contagious in social circles

Researchers Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler have found that, in social networks, happiness can be contagious up to three degrees of separation from its initial source (you!). That means that when you are happy, the people you are connected to tend to be happier, as are the friends of those friends and the friends of your friends’ friends—like, for example, your sister’s boss’s running buddy.

Happiness contagion can also happen in schools. One study found that a student’s individual well-being and happiness at the end of the school year partly depended on how happy and satisfied with life their classmates were earlier in the year. And it can happen at home in families and in workplaces , too.

Why would that be? It turns out that our brains are pretty attuned to the emotions of those around us. Through a complex neural system sometimes referred to as “mirror neurons,” we experience the feelings of others inside ourselves. It’s why when we smile, it can make others smile , and when we laugh, it tickles other people’s funny bones. As long as we are in some kind of contact with people—physically or even online —our good feelings tend to spread to them.

Our well-being helps us bond with others

Even when we’re isolated, good relationships are just as important as ever—offering the love, care, and connection we need for these difficult times. And taking care of our well-being can help us maintain those relationships in a myriad of ways (and help keep anger and tension at bay).

In one experiment , researchers found that inducing happiness in individual romantic partners by showing them happy imagery made them feel better about their relationship. In another experiment , people expressing greater positive feelings tended to have more satisfying, less contentious marital discussions around conflicts, which could help couples stay together longer.

In a large review of these kinds of studies, authors Shannon Moore, Ed Diener, and Kenneth Tan suggested several possible ways that good feelings could contribute to relationship building, in both the short term and the long term. Among them are:

  • Happy people are more likely to engage with others and be more social .
  • When meeting new people, happier people tend to have more substantial interactions and feel a greater sense of commonality than less happy people.
  • Happy people are less likely to have conflicts with others and are better at negotiating differences .
  • Happy people may be more kind and helpful toward others.
  • Other people find it rewarding to be with happy people.

This suggests that there is some kind of reciprocal relationship between well-being and social bonds, which strengthens both. That’s not only good for you, but it’s also good for each person you’re connected to.

Our well-being can improve the health of those around us

It’s true that happiness seems to have positive effects on your health and longevity . Studies have found that happier people tend to have stronger immunity , maintain their weight better, and sleep better —which all, in turn, can lead to better health.

But could our well-being affect the health of those around us, too? At least some research suggests it does.

Studies have found that when we’re happier, our spouses have better health and greater longevity , though the exact reasons for that are unclear. It could be that happier spouses have more energy for helping and supporting sick partners, as researcher Olga Stavrova speculates. But it could also be that a cheerful spouse makes their partner feel happier or less stressed, and that’s what indirectly makes them healthier.

Our well-being helps us engage in social problems and help the world

We all need to pitch in right now and do the right thing to protect society at large. Fortunately, taking care of our own well-being may give us the emotional resources to help those around us deal with the coronavirus.

As one study found, happier people are more likely to care about the problems of the world and to take action to alleviate suffering—perhaps because they have more personal agency and energy to do so. Another study in Germany found that happier people tended to be more involved citizens—meaning, they voted, volunteered, and participated in community activities more than less happy people—possibly because they were optimistic and trusted others more. Yet another study in Latin America found that happier people tended to vote more, and that happiness was likely the cause—not the effect—of voting.

Greater Good’s Guide to Well-Being During Coronavirus

Greater Good’s Guide to Well-Being During Coronavirus

Practices, resources, and articles for individuals, parents, and educators facing COVID-19

Of course, saying that your well-being helps others isn’t meant to pressure you to be happy all the time, which is pretty much impossible even in more normal times. It’s good to remember that all emotions can be useful under certain circumstances, including negative ones, such as when fear keeps us from taking unnecessary risks or sadness helps signal to others that we need comfort. Nor does it mean that we should simply put on a happy face when we don’t feel happy. Accepting our negative emotions is actually useful for our well-being, while repressing them generally isn’t.

But these findings do suggest that taking care of our well-being need not be entirely a selfish pursuit, even now. We can all try to do so as individuals—by practicing keys to more sustained well-being , like gratitude, mindfulness, awe, and compassion—and try to build societies that promote wellness. And you can pretty much bet that by nurturing our well-being, we will be helping those around us to cope better with the coronavirus, contributing to a better world for all.

About the Author

Jill Suttie

Jill Suttie

Jill Suttie, Psy.D. , is Greater Good ’s former book review editor and now serves as a staff writer and contributing editor for the magazine. She received her doctorate of psychology from the University of San Francisco in 1998 and was a psychologist in private practice before coming to Greater Good .

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10 Keys to Happier Living

Everyone's path to happiness is different. based on the latest research, we have identified 10 keys to happier living that consistently tend to make life happier and more fulfilling. together they spell great dream., you can explore them all below..

help others help yourself essay

Do kind things for others

If you want to feel good, doing good is a great place to start..

Helping and being kind not only contributes to the happiness of others, it can also help us to feel happier ourselves! [1] Studies have shown that when we do kind things it can literally gives our brain a boost, activating its ‘reward centres’ [2] and that feels good. It can take our minds off our own worries too. 

Giving and kindness also help us feel connected to others which is important for our wellbeing and contributes to building stronger communities and a happier society for everyone. [3]

There are lots of different ways we can give and  help others .

Every act of kindness counts

From small acts like a friendly smile, a few kind words, helping with bags, or offering up our seat, through to regular volunteering - there are lots of different ways we can give or be kind. We can of course donate money to good causes if we are able to and we can give in lots of non-financial ways too, such as giving a moment of attention, some of our time, knowledge, ideas, energy or support, or even sometimes by giving people the benefit of the doubt, instead of instantly judging them. Acts of kindness add up for our own and others wellbeing and all contribute to creating happier communities. [4]

Reflection: What’s a small act of kindness you could do today?

Woman watering plants

Helping others can boost happiness in many ways

Scientific studies show that helping others can contribute to our happiness in different ways. These include: experiencing more positive emotions and satisfaction with life [5]; increasing our sense of meaning [6], and boosting our self-confidence. It can reduce stress and help us feel calmer too. [7] Some studies have found that people who volunteered regularly were found to be more hopeful and experience fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety and may even live longer. [8]  Not all acts of helping boost how happy we feel – to maximise the benefits, it’s important that we’ve chosen if or how we help; we can see or sense that it will have a positive impact; and it helps us feel more connected to others. [9]

So if you want to feel good, find ways you can do good! 

Reflection: When was a time that you chose to give or help others that boosted how happy you felt? What contributed to that?

Everyone needs kindness

Giving and being kind can help us feel more connected to others and contribute to nurturing our relationships - and that’s good for wellbeing all round! [10] Our acts of kindness might be for family, friends, colleagues, or neighbours or even strangers. They could be old or young, nearby or far away. It could be a one-off spontaneous gesture or something we do regularly. It could be a compassionate response in a time of crisis or need or simply because it’s a nice thing to do. There are always ways to be kind.

Reflection: Who have you been kind to recently? Who has been kind to you?

Neighbours waving through the window

Create kindness ripples

Studies have shown that when we do something kind both the recipient and other people who witness that kind act are more likely to be kind themselves. [11] So our kindnesses are amplified, contributing to a happier world! Expressing gratitude for help others give us also ripples out too. [12]

Reflection: Who can you thank for what they give to you?

Ask for help when you need it

Think about it - if helping others boosts happiness, asking for help when we need it could give the person we ask the opportunity for a feel good boost. It can also mean they are then more likely to ask for help when they need it. Certainly communities where people feel they can rely on others to help are happier and more resilient. [13] Asking for help builds connection - so it isn’t only for when we are struggling. We can also ask for help to share experiences, when we’d value support, or when we want to learn something new. 

Reflection: What’s something you’d like help with? Who can you ask?

Man thinking of a hug

Balancing your own needs and those of others

Helping is associated with increased happiness and health, but feeling obligated or overly burdened by it can be detrimental, [14] as can be the case for long-term carers. If you are a carer, taking care of your own wellbeing matters – for yourself and the people you are helping. Even small actions that give you a quick break or a boost can help you sustain your physical and psychological health and so your ability to continue caring for others.

Reflection:  What is an action you can take to maintain your own wellbeing, to help you sustain caring for others?

Sustainable giving

As a general rule, we can be more effective, regular givers if we find ways to help that we enjoy, which are in line with our own strengths and feel worthwhile or meaningful. If we are happier givers, the recipients will likely benefit more, and we are more likely to continue to give. Choosing how we help and give to others, giving in ways that boost our sense of social connection and in which we feel effective and impactful all matter in order to sustain giving and helping others. [15] Happier people tend to help others more, so taking care of your own wellbeing helps you sustain giving too. [16]

Reflection: What ways of helping others do you enjoy or find energising?

Man with little people on his arm

1 Curry, O. S., Rowland, L. A., Van Lissa, C. J., Zlotowitz, S., McAlaney, J., & Whitehouse, H. (2018). Happy to help? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness on the well-being of the actor. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 76, 320-329. Aknin, L. B., Dunn, E. W., &; Norton, M. I. (2012). Happiness runs in a circular motion: Evidence for a positive feedback loop between prosocial spending and happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 13(2), 347-355.

2 Harbaugh, W. T., Mayr, U., &; Burghart, D. R. (2007). Neural responses to taxation and voluntary giving reveal motives for charitable donations. Science, 316(5831), 1622-1625.

3 Aknin, L. B., Whillans, A. V., Norton, M. I., & Dunn, E. W. (2019). Happiness and prosocial behavior: An evaluation of the evidence. World Happiness Report 2019, 67-86. Okabe-Miyamoto, K., &; Lyubomirsky, S. (2021). Social connection and well-being during COVID-19. World Happiness Report, 131-152.

4 Aknin, L. B., Whillans, A. V., Norton, M. I., & Dunn, E. W. (2019). Happiness and prosocial behavior: An evaluation of the evidence. World Happiness Report 2019, 67-86. Okabe-Miyamoto, K., &; Lyubomirsky, S. (2021). Social connection and well-being during COVID-19. World Happiness Report, 131-152.

5 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34.

6 What Works Centre for Wellbeing Briefing Paper (2020) Volunteer wellbeing: what works and who benefits? https://whatworkswellbeing.org/resources/volunteer-wellbeing-what-works-and-who-benefits/

7 Luks, A. A. (1988). Helper's high. Psychology Today, 22(10), 39.; Piliavin, J. (2003). Doing well by doing good: Benefits for the benefactor. In C. M. Keyes, J. Haidt, C. M. Keyes, J. Haidt (Eds.) , Flourishing: Positive psychology and the life well-lived (pp. 227-247). Washington, DC US: American Psychological Association.

8 Aknin, L. B., Whillans, A. V., Norton, M. I., & Dunn, E. W. (2019). Happiness and prosocial behavior: An evaluation of the evidence. World Happiness Report 2019, 67-86. Curry, O. S., Rowland, L. A., Van Lissa, C. J., Zlotowitz, S., McAlaney, J., &; Whitehouse, H. (2018). Happy to help? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness on the well-being of the actor. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 76, 320-329. King, V. (2016) 10 Keys to Happier Living – A Practical Guide for Happiness. Hachette. Lyubomirsky, S, Sheldon, K M, &; Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 111 - 131

9 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34.; King, V. (2016) 10 Keys to Happier Living – A Practical Guide for Happiness. Hachette.

10 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34.; Helliwell, J. F., Aknin, L. B., Shiplett, H., Huang, H., & Wang, S. (2017). Social capital and prosocial behaviour as sources of well-being. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 23761

11 Jung, H., Seo, E., Han, E., Henderson, M. D., and Patall, E. A. (2020). Prosocial modeling: A meta-analytic review and synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 146(8), 635

12 Algoe, S. B., Dwyer, P. C., Younge, A., &; Oveis, C. (2020). A new perspective on the social functions of emotions: Gratitude and the witnessing effect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 119(1), 40.

13 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34.; Helliwell, J. F., Aknin, L. B., Shiplett, H., Huang, H., &; Wang, S. (2017). Social capital and prosocial behaviour as sources of well-being. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 23761

14 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34

15 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34.; King, V. (2016) 10 Keys to Happier Living – A Practical Guide for Happiness. Hachette.

16 Aknin, L. B., Dunn, E. W., & Norton, M. I. (2012). Happiness runs in a circular motion: Evidence for a positive feedback loop between prosocial spending and happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 13(2), 347-355.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Helping Others — My Purpose in Life is to Help Others

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My Purpose in Life is to Help Others

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Published: Aug 31, 2023

Words: 688 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

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Defining personal purpose and its significance, empathy and compassion as the driving forces, choosing the path of service and impact, personal growth through helping others, overcoming challenges and sustaining motivation, influence on relationships and community, collaboration and collective impact, conclusion: embracing the journey of helping others.

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help others help yourself essay

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Essay on Helping Others in Life

Helping others is a fundamental aspect of human life and is closely tied to personal growth and fulfillment. By offering aid and support to those in need, individuals can improve their own lives and those of others, leading to a more harmonious and prosperous world. This essay will explore the various benefits of helping others, including the impact on personal development, the benefits to mental health, and the impact on society as a whole.

I. Personal Development

A. Increased Empathy and Understanding

One of the key benefits of helping others is the development of empathy and understanding. By reaching out to others and offering support, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by those in need. This can lead to an increased sense of compassion and empathy, helping to build stronger relationships and foster greater understanding between people.

B. Improved Sense of Purpose and Fulfillment

Helping others can also have a positive impact on personal development by providing a sense of purpose and fulfillment. By making a positive difference in the lives of others, individuals can find greater meaning and satisfaction in their own lives, helping them to feel more fulfilled and content.

C. Enhanced Self-Esteem and Confidence

Another key benefit of helping others is the positive impact on self-esteem and confidence. By taking action to help others, individuals can feel more empowered and confident in their own abilities, leading to greater self-esteem and a stronger sense of personal identity.

II. Benefits to Mental Health

A. Reduced Stress and Anxiety

Helping others can also have a positive impact on mental health, as it has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. By focusing on the needs of others, individuals can shift their attention away from their own worries and concerns, leading to a more relaxed and content state of mind.

B. Improved Mood and Happiness

In addition to reducing stress and anxiety, helping others can also lead to an improvement in mood and happiness. By providing support to others and making a positive impact on their lives, individuals can experience a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, leading to greater happiness and well-being.

C. Increased Social Connections

Finally, helping others can also have a positive impact on mental health by fostering greater social connections. By reaching out to others and offering support, individuals can form stronger relationships and build a sense of community, leading to increased feelings of belonging and connectedness.

III. Impact on Society

A. Strengthening of Communities

One of the key ways in which helping others can impact society is by strengthening communities. By working together to help those in need, individuals can build stronger relationships and foster a sense of solidarity, leading to more resilient and harmonious communities.

B. Promotion of Social Justice

Another way in which helping others can impact society is by promoting social justice. By offering support to those who are marginalized or disadvantaged, individuals can help to address social inequalities and work towards a more fair and just society.

C. Encouragement of Generosity and Altruism

Finally, by helping others and setting a positive example, individuals can encourage others to be more generous and altruistic, helping to foster a culture of giving and compassion in society as a whole.

what are the ways of helping others

There are numerous ways to help others and make a positive impact in their lives. Here are some common ways you can lend a helping hand:

  • Volunteering: Offer your time and skills to organizations, charities, or community projects. Volunteer at local schools, hospitals, shelters, or environmental initiatives. Your efforts can contribute to a variety of causes and make a difference in the lives of those in need.
  • Donating: Consider donating money, goods, or resources to charitable organizations. Financial contributions can support causes such as education, healthcare, poverty alleviation, disaster relief, and more. Donating goods like clothing, food, or household items can also benefit individuals and communities.
  • Mentoring: Share your knowledge and experiences with others by becoming a mentor. Offer guidance and support to individuals who can benefit from your expertise, whether it’s in academics, career development, personal growth, or other areas.
  • Fundraising: Organize or participate in fundraising events to support specific causes or organizations. This can involve activities such as charity runs, bake sales, auctions, or crowdfunding campaigns. By raising funds, you help create resources for initiatives that assist others.
  • Advocacy: Stand up for causes you believe in and raise awareness about social issues. Use your voice to advocate for marginalized communities, human rights, environmental sustainability, or any other cause that you feel passionate about. Write to policymakers, join advocacy groups, or engage in peaceful protests to drive change.
  • Offering Support: Be there for people in your life who may be going through challenging times. Offer emotional support, lend a listening ear, or provide practical assistance when needed. Simple acts of kindness, such as helping a neighbor with their groceries or offering to babysit for a friend, can go a long way.
  • Sharing Skills: Teach others a skill or trade that you possess. This could involve tutoring students, conducting workshops or classes, or offering professional services pro bono. By sharing your expertise, you empower others and enable them to improve their lives.
  • Random Acts of Kindness: Engage in small acts of kindness on a daily basis. These can include complimenting someone, holding the door for others, offering to help a stranger, or participating in community clean-up efforts. Random acts of kindness create a positive ripple effect and contribute to a more compassionate society.

Remember, helping others doesn’t always have to involve grand gestures. Even small acts of kindness and support can make a significant impact on individuals and communities.

In conclusion, helping others is a vital aspect of human life, offering numerous benefits to personal development, mental health, and society as a whole. By reaching out to those in need and offering support, individuals can experience greater fulfillment and satisfaction, while also making a positive impact on the world around them. Whether through volunteer work, charitable giving, or simply lending

a helping hand to a friend or neighbor, there are countless opportunities to help others and make a difference in the world. Through these acts of kindness and generosity, we can strengthen our communities, promote social justice, and encourage a culture of compassion and altruism.

By taking the time to help others, individuals can also find personal growth and fulfillment, as they develop empathy, understanding, and a sense of purpose. Whether through big or small acts of kindness, helping others has the power to transform lives and improve the world we live in.

In short, helping others is not just a noble pursuit, but a vital part of our shared human experience. It is through our actions and our willingness to reach out and support others that we can create a more just, peaceful, and fulfilling world for all.

The Significance of Helping Others: A Comprehensive Exploration

As a firm believer in the power of empathy and compassion, I am thrilled to delve into the topic of why helping others is profoundly important. Throughout history, individuals and communities have recognized the intrinsic value of extending a helping hand to those in need. In this essay, I aim to shed light on the various aspects of helping others, including its psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions. By taking a holistic approach, we can gain a deeper understanding of the impact that acts of kindness have on both the giver and the receiver.

  • The Psychological Benefits of Helping Others:

It is undeniable that engaging in acts of altruism and kindness holds remarkable psychological advantages. Firstly, helping others boosts our own sense of self-worth and purpose. By making a positive difference in someone’s life, we experience a profound sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. Furthermore, studies have shown that acts of kindness stimulate the release of endorphins, often referred to as the “feel-good” hormones. These endorphins contribute to a state of happiness and overall well-being.

Moreover, helping others can combat feelings of loneliness and isolation. By connecting with individuals in need and fostering meaningful relationships, we create a support system that nurtures our own emotional health. Additionally, practicing empathy and compassion allows us to develop stronger emotional intelligence, enhancing our ability to understand and relate to others.

  • The Social Impact of Helping Others:

Beyond the personal benefits, helping others has far-reaching social implications. When we extend a helping hand, we contribute to the creation of a more compassionate society. Acts of kindness ripple through communities, inspiring others to follow suit. The collective impact of these actions can bring about positive social change and foster a sense of unity among diverse groups.

Furthermore, helping others promotes the establishment of strong social networks. By engaging in philanthropy or volunteer work, we connect with like-minded individuals who share our values and passions. These networks not only offer support but also open doors to new opportunities and collaborations, amplifying the impact we can make together.

  • The Spiritual Dimensions of Helping Others:

For many, helping others transcends the realm of psychology and sociology; it becomes a deeply spiritual practice. By extending kindness, we align ourselves with core human values such as compassion, love, and selflessness. These acts of service can foster a profound sense of connection with something greater than ourselves.

Additionally, helping others allows us to cultivate a sense of gratitude for our own blessings. When we witness the challenges faced by others, we gain perspective and appreciation for the abundance in our own lives. This awareness serves as a reminder to be grateful for what we have and to approach life with humility and generosity.

  • Overcoming Challenges in Helping Others:

While the importance of helping others is clear, it is essential to acknowledge the challenges and complexities associated with this endeavor. One common challenge is finding the balance between offering assistance and respecting the autonomy and dignity of those in need. It is crucial to empower individuals rather than perpetuating a sense of dependency.

Furthermore, navigating cultural and societal barriers requires sensitivity and cultural competence. Understanding the unique needs and perspectives of diverse communities is vital to providing effective support. By actively seeking to educate ourselves and engage in meaningful dialogue, we can bridge gaps and ensure our assistance is truly impactful.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, helping others is of paramount importance due to its profound psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions. By engaging in acts of kindness, we not only improve the lives of those we assist but also experience personal growth and fulfillment. Additionally, our efforts contribute to the creation of a more compassionate and inclusive society. It is through our shared commitment to helping others that we can bring about positive change and foster a world built on empathy and understanding.

My Passion in Life: A Journey of Helping Others

From a young age, I have been drawn to the profound satisfaction and joy that comes from helping others. It is a passion that permeates every aspect of my life and serves as a guiding force for my academic pursuits. In this comprehensive essay, I will delve into the depths of this topic, showcasing my in-depth knowledge while maintaining a friendly and relatable tone. By exploring the various aspects of helping others, I aim to shed light on the significance of this altruistic pursuit and its impact on both individuals and society as a whole.

  • Understanding the Essence of Helping Others: Helping others is an innate human instinct that goes beyond simple acts of kindness. It encompasses empathy, compassion, and a genuine desire to improve the lives of those around us. By delving into the psychological underpinnings of helping behavior, I have come to realize the profound impact it has on fostering stronger interpersonal connections and building a more cohesive society.
  • The Importance of Selflessness: Helping others often requires selflessness, as it involves prioritizing the needs and well-being of others over our own. By examining the concepts of selflessness and sacrifice, I aim to highlight the transformative power that lies within acts of service. Through personal anecdotes and examples, I will showcase the positive ripple effect that even the smallest acts of kindness can have on individuals and communities.
  • Empowering Through Education and Mentorship: Education serves as a powerful tool in transforming lives and enabling individuals to reach their full potential. By focusing on the role of education and mentorship in helping others, I will explore how these avenues can pave the way for personal growth and societal progress. Drawing upon research and personal experiences, I will illustrate the transformative power of knowledge and the profound impact that mentors can have on shaping the lives of others.
  • Building Stronger Communities: Helping others extends beyond individual acts of kindness; it encompasses community-building and fostering an inclusive environment. By examining the dynamics of community engagement, I will explore the ways in which collective efforts can bring about positive change and address societal challenges. From volunteering to grassroots initiatives, I will delve into the strategies and approaches that contribute to creating thriving communities.
  • Overcoming Challenges and Nurturing Resilience: Helping others is not without its obstacles. It requires resilience and an unwavering commitment to making a difference, even in the face of adversity. By sharing personal stories of overcoming challenges and setbacks, I will provide insights into the importance of perseverance and resilience in the pursuit of helping others. This section will serve as a source of inspiration for readers, encouraging them to navigate the inevitable obstacles they may encounter on their own journeys.

My passion for helping others has shaped my identity and academic pursuits. Throughout this comprehensive essay, I have explored the various facets of this passion, drawing upon personal experiences, research, and a deep understanding of the topic. From understanding the essence of helping others to nurturing resilience, I have showcased the transformative power of acts of kindness and their far-reaching impact on individuals and communities. By embracing our innate desire to help others, we can contribute to a more compassionate and inclusive world. Let us embark on this journey together, united in our shared goal of making a positive difference in the lives of others.

speech on helping others

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, I want to talk about a fundamental aspect of our humanity – helping others. The act of extending a helping hand to those in need is not only a noble endeavor but also a fundamental part of what it means to be human. It’s a simple yet profound gesture that can make a world of difference in the lives of those we touch.

Helping others is not confined to grand gestures or extraordinary acts of charity. It can be as simple as lending a listening ear to a friend in distress or offering a warm smile to a stranger. It’s about showing empathy, compassion, and kindness in our everyday interactions.

One of the most remarkable things about helping others is that it’s a win-win situation. When we help others, we not only make a positive impact on their lives, but we also enrich our own lives in the process. Here’s how:

  • Fosters Connection: Helping others creates bonds and strengthens relationships. It builds trust and deepens connections with friends, family, and even strangers. It reminds us that we are all part of a larger human family.
  • Boosts Happiness: Numerous studies have shown that acts of kindness trigger the release of endorphins, the “feel-good” hormones, in our brains. So, helping others actually makes us happier and more content.
  • Fosters Personal Growth: Helping others challenges us to step out of our comfort zones, develop new skills, and broaden our perspectives. It can be a powerful tool for personal growth and self-discovery.
  • Creates a Positive Ripple Effect: When we help someone, they are more likely to pay it forward and help others in turn. This creates a positive ripple effect that can spread far and wide, making the world a better place.
  • Enhances Our Sense of Purpose: Knowing that our actions can have a positive impact on others gives us a sense of purpose and meaning in life. It reminds us that we have the power to make a difference.

In a world that often seems divided and troubled, helping others serves as a beacon of hope. It transcends barriers of race, religion, and nationality. It reminds us of our shared humanity and the potential for goodness that resides in each of us.

But let’s not forget that helping others is not just about the grand gestures or the occasional act of charity. It’s about cultivating a mindset of kindness and empathy in our daily lives. It’s about being there for our friends, family, and community when they need us most. It’s about recognizing that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a profound impact.

So, as we go about our lives, let’s remember the power we hold within us to make the world a better place through acts of kindness and helping others. Let’s choose empathy over apathy, compassion over indifference, and love over hate. In doing so, we not only enrich the lives of those we help but also contribute to a more compassionate and connected world for all.

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11 Best Written Essays on Helping Others in Life-Need & Importance

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Helping others refers to an act whereby human beings help the fellow human in one way or the other. The concept of helping others has strong basis upon respecting, identifying and accepting the needs and issues of others and taking practical steps to resolve others issues. The following Essay on helping others talks on why helping others is important in our life, why we need to mutually support and cooperate other people in life.

List of Topics

1. Essay on Helping Others in Life |Need, and Importance of Helping others in Life

Helping others in the times of need is the basic instinct of human nature. It is the feeling of happiness and satisfaction that comes with being able to help someone in need that drives us towards doing good deeds. It is not only restricted to lending a helping hand during difficult times but also extends to small, everyday gestures that make a big difference in the lives of others.

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There are many benefits of helping others in life. The most obvious one is that it makes us feel good about ourselves. When we help someone in need, our brain releases serotonin, which is a hormone that makes us feel happy and satisfied. It also gives us a sense of purpose and meaning in life. Helping others allows us to connect with people on a deeper level and form meaningful relationships. It also gives us a sense of belonging and strengthens our bond with the community.

Apart from the personal satisfaction that comes with helping others, there are also many practical benefits. Helping others can boost our career prospects and open up new networking opportunities. It can also lead to positive changes in our society. When we help others, we set an example for others to follow and inspire them to do good deeds as well.

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Therefore, helping others is not only beneficial for the person in need but also for the helper. It makes us feel good about ourselves and gives us a sense of purpose and meaning in life. It also has many practical benefits that can boost our career prospects and lead to positive changes in our society. So, next time you come across someone who needs help, don’t hesitate to lend a helping hand. It will make a big difference in their life and yours too.

2. Essay on helping others is Important:

Helping others is a fundamental aspect of human nature. We are all connected in this world, and our actions have the potential to impact those around us. Whether we realize it or not, helping others can bring immense satisfaction and fulfillment into our lives.

The act of helping others goes beyond just lending a hand or offering material assistance. It’s about showing compassion, empathy, and understanding towards others. It’s about being there for someone when they need it the most, without expecting anything in return. Helping others is not just a selfless act; it can also be a source of personal growth and development.

One of the main reasons why helping others is important is because it promotes a sense of community and belonging. When we help others, we create a sense of unity and togetherness, which is crucial for building strong relationships and fostering a supportive environment. It can also help break down barriers and promote understanding between different individuals or groups.

Furthermore, helping others can have a ripple effect in the community. When one person helps another, it often inspires others to do the same. This creates a domino effect of kindness and can lead to significant positive changes in society.

Helping others is also crucial for our own personal well-being. Studies have shown that acts of kindness can boost our mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and even improve our physical health. When we help others, we release feel-good hormones like serotonin and oxytocin, which can contribute to overall happiness and well-being.

Moreover, helping others can provide a sense of purpose and meaning in life. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in our own lives and lose sight of the bigger picture. By helping others, we are reminded that there is more to life than just ourselves and our own struggles.

It’s also important to note that helping others does not always have to be a grand gesture. Simple acts of kindness and compassion, such as listening to someone who is going through a difficult time or offering words of encouragement, can make a significant impact on someone’s life.

In conclusion, helping others is crucial for our own personal growth and well-being, as well as for creating a more compassionate and supportive society. It may seem like a small act, but the impact it can have on someone’s life is immeasurable. So let’s all strive to make helping others a priority in our lives and spread kindness wherever we go.

3. Short Essay on Helping Others:

Helping others is a selfless act that brings about joy, contentment and fulfillment in one’s life. It is an innate human characteristic to extend our hands towards those who are in need and offer whatever assistance we can provide. Whether it be helping a friend with their studies, aiding a stranger on the street or volunteering at a local charity organization, lending a helping hand not only benefits the receiver but also brings about a sense of satisfaction and purpose to the giver.

In today’s fast-paced world, where individualism and self-centeredness are on the rise, acts of kindness and generosity towards others have become scarce. However, it is important for individuals, especially students, to recognize the importance of helping others and make it a part of their daily lives.

By helping others, we not only make a positive impact on their lives but also contribute towards building a better society. Small acts of kindness, such as volunteering at a homeless shelter or donating clothes to those in need, can go a long way in making a difference in someone’s life.

Additionally, by actively participating in community service and helping those less fortunate, students can develop a sense of empathy and compassion towards others, which are essential qualities for building strong relationships and fostering a more inclusive society.

Moreover, helping others can also have positive effects on one’s mental health. Research has shown that individuals who engage in acts of kindness and generosity tend to experience lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. This is because helping others releases feel-good hormones such as oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin, which can help reduce stress and improve overall well-being.

Furthermore, lending a helping hand can also serve as a learning experience for students. By actively engaging in community service or volunteering at organizations that work towards social causes, students can gain valuable skills such as teamwork, leadership, and communication

4. Short Essay on Motivation for helping others:

Motivation is a powerful force that can drive individuals to act in ways that benefit not only themselves, but also those around them. One of the most selfless and altruistic forms of motivation is the desire to help others.

Helping others can take many forms, from volunteering at a local charity or donating money to a worthy cause, to simply lending a helping hand to a friend or stranger in need. But why do some people have such a strong motivation to help others, while others seem more focused on their own interests?

Research has shown that there are various factors that can contribute to an individual’s motivation for helping others. These may include personal experiences, values and beliefs, cultural influences, and even genetics.

For some people, the desire to help others may stem from a personal experience of receiving help themselves. This can lead to a sense of gratitude and a desire to pay it forward by helping others in need.

Others may be driven by their values and beliefs, such as the belief in equal rights and opportunities for all individuals. These individuals may see helping others as not only a moral obligation, but also as a way to create a more just and equitable society.

Cultural influences can also play a role in an individual’s motivation for helping others. In some cultures, the concept of community and collective well-being is highly valued, which can lead to a strong desire to help others in need.

Lastly, research has also suggested that genetics may play a role in an individual’s level of empathy and compassion, which can in turn influence their motivation to help others.

In conclusion, the reasons for an individual’s motivation to help others are complex and multifaceted. But regardless of the underlying factors, one thing is clear: helping others brings about a sense of fulfillment and purpose that cannot be achieved through self-interest alone.

5. College essay on helping others:

As a college student, it is easy to get caught up in our own personal goals and obligations. With the pressure of maintaining good grades, participating in extracurricular activities, and building a strong resume for future job prospects, helping others may not always be at the top of our list. However, being selfless and giving back to those in need can have numerous benefits for college students.

First and foremost, helping others is a great way to gain perspective and appreciate the things we have in our own lives. Many of us are fortunate enough to have access to higher education, a privilege that not everyone in the world has. By volunteering our time and efforts to help those less fortunate, we can learn to be grateful for what we have and gain a deeper understanding of the struggles and challenges faced by others.

In addition, helping others can also provide valuable learning opportunities. Through volunteering or participating in community service projects, college students can develop important skills such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving. These skills are not only beneficial for personal growth but are also highly valued by potential employers. Volunteering can also expose students to diverse cultures and perspectives, promoting a more well-rounded and empathetic outlook on life.

Moreover, by helping others, we can make a positive impact in our communities and contribute to the greater good. Whether it is through organizing a fundraiser for a local charity or tutoring students in need, our actions can have a meaningful impact on the lives of those around us. By being active members of our communities, we can create a ripple effect of kindness and inspire others to do the same.

Lastly, helping others can also have a positive impact on our mental health. Studies have shown that acts of kindness and generosity can increase happiness, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve overall well-being

6. Essay on Kindness to others:

As human beings, we have the ability to choose how we treat others. One of the most powerful ways we can impact those around us is by displaying kindness. It may seem like a small gesture, but showing kindness to others can have a ripple effect that extends far beyond what we could ever imagine.

Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. When we show kindness to others, we are displaying empathy and compassion towards them. It can be as simple as offering a smile, lending a helping hand, or listening without judgment.

The power of kindness lies in its ability to bring people together. In a world that is often divided by differences, acts of kindness can bridge the gap and create connections. It allows us to see beyond our own perspective and understand the struggles of others. It reminds us that we are all human and deserve love and respect.

Not only does kindness benefit those who receive it, but also those who give it. Studies have shown that acts of kindness can boost our mood, increase happiness, and reduce stress. It can even lead to a healthier heart and improved relationships.

In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in our own lives and forget about those around us. But kindness doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. It can be as simple as holding the door open for someone, saying “thank you,” or offering a compliment. These small acts of kindness may seem insignificant, but they can make a huge difference in someone’s day.

Furthermore, kindness is not limited to only those we know. It can also be extended to strangers. In fact, random acts of kindness towards strangers can have an even greater impact as it shows that there are still good and caring people in the world.

7. Inspirational Story on helping others:

Once upon a time, in a small village surrounded by lush green fields and blooming flowers, there lived a young boy named Rohan. He was known for his kind heart and willingness to help others without expecting anything in return.

Rohan grew up with his parents who were farmers. They taught him the importance of hard work and helping those in need. Every day, Rohan would help his parents in the fields, and after finishing his chores, he would spend time with the villagers.

The villagers adored Rohan for his kind nature and willingness to lend a helping hand. They often shared stories of how he had helped them during difficult times. But little did they know that Rohan’s kindness was not limited to just humans.

One day, a severe storm hit the village and destroyed most of the crops. The villagers were worried about how they would survive without food. Rohan’s parents were also affected by the storm, and they had no other option but to leave their village in search of better opportunities.

Seeing his family and villagers in distress, Rohan knew he had to do something. He remembered how his parents had taught him to help others in need, and he decided to put that lesson into practice.

Rohan went from house to house, asking the villagers if they needed any help. He helped them fix their homes, gather whatever food was left after the storm, and even offered his own food supplies to those who needed it desperately.

However, Rohan’s helping nature did not end there. He ventured into the forest to find wild fruits and berries, which he distributed among the villagers. Some even called him a hero for his selfless acts.

But Rohan remained humble and continued to help without seeking recognition or praise. His kindness was contagious, and soon other villagers joined in to help each other during difficult times.

Slowly but steadily, the village was back on its feet, and the crops were growing again. Everyone in the village had learned an important lesson from Rohan – that helping others not only benefits them but also brings joy and satisfaction to oneself.

Years passed, and Rohan grew up to be a kind-hearted man who continued to help those in need. The villagers never forgot his acts of kindness, and they passed on his lessons to their children and grandchildren.

Rohan’s selfless actions had a lasting impact on the village, and it became known as the village of kind-hearted people who always helped each other. And Rohan’s name was remembered for generations to come as a symbol of kindness and compassion.

From this story, we can learn that helping others is not just about lending a hand during difficult times, but it is also about spreading kindness and making the world a better place. As they say, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” So let us all follow Rohan’s example and make helping others a way of life

8. Essay on helping hand:

In our fast-paced and competitive world, the concept of a “helping hand” has become more important than ever before. In simple terms, a helping hand refers to an act of assisting or supporting someone in need. This could be in the form of physical, emotional, or financial support.

One might argue that the idea of extending a helping hand is not new and has been a part of our society for centuries. However, the changing dynamics of our global community have made it even more crucial for individuals to lend a helping hand to those around them.

In today’s world, where people are constantly chasing success and material possessions, there is a growing sense of isolation and loneliness among individuals. This is where the concept of a helping hand comes into play. By reaching out and supporting those in need, we not only make a positive impact on their lives but also create a sense of community and belonging.

Moreover, extending a helping hand is not only beneficial for the receiver, but it also has several benefits for the giver as well. It allows us to step outside of our own problems and focus on someone else’s needs. This can bring a sense of purpose and fulfillment in our lives. Additionally, helping others can also boost our self-esteem and confidence, knowing that we have made a positive difference in someone’s life.

Furthermore, a helping hand can also have a ripple effect. By assisting one individual, we may inspire them to pay it forward and help others in need. This creates a chain reaction of kindness and compassion, ultimately leading to a more caring and supportive society.

In today’s interconnected world, where news of tragedies and disasters spread rapidly, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless. However, by extending a helping hand to those affected, we can make a tangible difference and contribute towards rebuilding communities and lives.

In conclusion, the concept of a helping hand is more relevant now than ever before. It not only benefits individuals in need but also has positive effects on our own well-being and society as a whole. So let us all strive to be someone’s helping hand and create a world where kindness and compassion are the norm rather than the exception. As the saying goes, “A helping hand is no farther than at the end of your sleeve.” So let us all extend our sleeves and lend a helping hand whenever possible. And remember, every act of kindness matters.

9. Short Essay on how helping others benefit you:

Helping others is a fundamental human trait that has been ingrained in our society for centuries. It is an act of kindness that not only benefits the recipient, but also brings immense joy and satisfaction to the person who is offering help. In this short essay, we will explore how helping others can have a positive impact on your life.

Firstly, helping others allows us to develop empathy and compassion. When we lend a helping hand to someone in need, we put ourselves in their shoes and try to understand their struggles. This helps us build stronger connections with others and become more understanding individuals. Moreover, by seeing the impact of our actions on others, we learn to appreciate what we have and not take things for granted.

Secondly, helping others can boost our self-esteem and confidence. When we use our skills and knowledge to assist someone, it gives us a sense of purpose and accomplishment. This, in turn, helps us feel more confident about ourselves and our abilities. It also reminds us that we are capable of making a positive impact on others’ lives.

Thirdly, helping others can improve our mental health. It is a well-known fact that acts of kindness can release feel-good hormones in our brain, such as oxytocin and endorphins. These hormones are responsible for making us feel happy and content. By helping others, we can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression levels in ourselves and others around us.

In addition to the above benefits, helping others also allows us to expand our social circle and make meaningful connections. When we volunteer or engage in acts of kindness, we meet like-minded individuals who share the same values as us. This can lead to long-lasting friendships and a sense of belonging.

Lastly, helping others is a powerful way to contribute to society and make a positive impact on the world. By giving back to our communities, we can create a ripple effect of kindness and inspire others to do the same. This can lead to a more empathetic and compassionate society, creating a better world for future generations.

10. Short Essay on Satisfaction Comes from Helping Others:

We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s better to give than receive.” And while it may sound cliché, there is truth to this statement. There is a certain sense of satisfaction that comes from helping others. Whether it be through volunteering, lending a helping hand, or simply being there for someone in need, the act of helping others brings a sense of fulfillment that cannot be replicated by any material possessions.

So why is it that helping others brings us satisfaction? One of the main reasons is that it gives us a sense of purpose. In today’s fast-paced world, we often get caught up in our own lives and forget about the needs of those around us. By taking the time to help someone else, we are reminded that there is more to life than just our own personal pursuits. We are able to make a positive impact on someone else’s life and in turn, feel good about ourselves.

Moreover, helping others allows us to step outside of our comfort zones and gain new perspectives. It’s easy to get stuck in our own routines and thought patterns, but when we help someone else, we are exposed to different ways of thinking and living. This can broaden our understanding of the world and also help us appreciate what we have.

Another aspect of helping others that brings satisfaction is the connections we make with people. When we lend a helping hand or volunteer, we are often working alongside like-minded individuals who share similar values and goals. These shared experiences can lead to meaningful relationships and a sense of belonging.

Furthermore, the act of helping others can also boost our own self-esteem and confidence. By making a positive impact on someone else’s life, we are reminded that we have something valuable to offer. This can give us a sense of purpose and worth that may have been lacking before.

In conclusion, while it may seem counterintuitive, true satisfaction does not come from acquiring material possessions or achieving personal success. It comes from the act of helping others and making a positive impact in their lives. So, let us strive to be kind, empathetic, and selfless individuals who find joy in giving rather than receiving. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

11. Short Essay on My Greatest Passion is Helping others:

My greatest passion in life is helping others. For as long as I can remember, I have always had a strong desire to make a positive impact on the world around me. Growing up, my parents instilled in me the value of kindness and compassion towards others, and this has stayed with me throughout my life.

I believe that there is no greater joy than being able to bring a smile to someone’s face or make their day a little bit brighter. Whether it is through small acts of kindness, volunteering my time, or using my skills and knowledge to help those in need, I am always looking for ways to lend a helping hand.

One of the reasons why helping others is my greatest passion is because it allows me to connect with people from all walks of life. I have had the opportunity to work with individuals from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, and each interaction has taught me something valuable. By helping others, I am also able to learn and grow as a person.

Furthermore, helping others is not just about making a difference in someone else’s life; it also brings immense fulfillment and happiness in my own life. Knowing that I have made a positive impact, no matter how small, fills me with a sense of purpose and motivates me to continue helping others.

In today’s world, where there is so much negativity and division, I believe that acts of kindness and compassion towards others are more important than ever. My greatest passion for helping others will always be a driving force in my life, and I hope to inspire others to do the same. After all, as Mahatma Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Q: How do you write an essay about helping others?

A: To write an essay about helping others, start with an introduction that highlights the significance of the topic, provide examples and personal experiences to support your points, discuss the benefits of helping others, and conclude with a strong summary.

Q: Why is it important to help others essay?

A: An essay on why it’s important to help others emphasizes the value of compassion, empathy, and the positive impact that helping others can have on individuals, communities, and society as a whole.

Q: What is the importance of helping others?

A: The importance of helping others lies in fostering empathy, building stronger communities, and creating a more compassionate and interconnected world.

Q: Why am I passionate about helping others?

A: Your passion for helping others may be driven by the sense of fulfillment, the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, a desire to contribute to positive change, and personal values or experiences that underscore the importance of altruism and empathy.

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How to Actually Help Yourself by Helping Others, Essay

What does helping others really mean.

Probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about it is financial aid. Somehow many people are convinced that one should be extremely rich to provide others with help. But the whole thing isn’t about huge donations to charities or adopting children from developing countries.

There are many things you can use to make someone’s life a little (or a lot) easier except money. Your time, ideas, skills, attention, care, and even something as slight as a mere smile will make a difference to the world around you. Small and simple acts of kindness mean as much, if not more, than loud and spectacular ones.

What Are The Ways of Helping Others

Now that you know of the significance of any help, you may be struggling to come up with particular ideas. Don’t worry! There are more ways of helping others than there are stars in the night sky and most of them are seemingly inconsequential acts of thoughtfulness. Here are some small steps which will be useful if you are determined to take action right now:

  • donate unused furniture and clothes you never wear – you will deal with the clutter, organize your space, and find a good use for things you don’t need anymore without just throwing them away;
  • call your friends, parents, and loved ones to ask how they are doing;
  • help an old lady across the street;
  • cook dinner and bring it to someone who has been ill or experienced a tough time;
  • do some volunteering – time spent on community service will become a great contribution to the common welfare;
  • hold an open door or an elevator;
  • start cleaning up a beach or a park – people will see it and follow your example;
  • share your knowledge – for example, you can give a few English lessons for free or show how to knit;
  • give a ride for someone in a hurry;
  • participate in a local blood donation campaign;
  • express your positive emotions and gratitude to people surrounding you;
  • tell someone how much you appreciate them or send a text message;
  • check in on an elderly person and help them to get something fixed or suggest making an appointment with a doctor if there’s such a need;
  • and last but not the least, hug someone just to brighten their day.

Remember – it costs 0 cents to be a nice person, so don’t take too long and find the strength to change the future within yourself!

The Importance of Helping Others

All of us want to get ahead in life and lead it to its full potential. It’s impossible to do so if we underestimate the importance of helping others. The implications of your concern are likely to be far-reaching in the minds and memories of those you interact with, having its own unique set of rewards that can’t be purchased at any cost.

There can be no doubt that you will gain a nice reputation and stand out from the crowd for demonstrating your care. Every time you communicate with other people being observant and proactive in your help-focused objective, numerous opportunities will be presented, even if you perform plain acts of courtesy. Just the offer of assistance will open up many possibilities illuminating the doorway of friendship and boosting your self-confidence.

Think of life as a mirror: what you reflect and give out to others you will also get back, often multiplied many times over.

To contemplate this topic more profoundly, you can even write the importance of helping others essay. This article on the moral choice will help you present compelling arguments.

Some Health Benefits Of Being Helpful

We have covered the psychological side of the advantages of helping others, now let’s talk about the physical aspect. Among the most obvious profits are:

  • Stress Decrease. Lower anxiety levels and keep yourself active by offering to do yardwork for those who are not able to do it by themselves.
  • Longer Life. Donating blood reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, and has been linked to an increased lifespan. You may also bring a trash bag and pick up litter next time you go for a walk to create a cleaner environment and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
  • Improved Mental Health. Delivering groceries or medications for someone in need will lessen loneliness and minimize exposure to depression, thus making you feel happier and more satisfied.

How to Soothe Someone Who Feels Sad

Sometimes it is hard to understand when a person in front of you looks heartbroken or troubled. Doing good deeds is one thing. But supporting people when they are down in the dumps in the right way is another. You should be prepared to do your best here because often we lack all the skills to deliver on our positive intentions. It’s crucial to recognize an odd, largely unmentioned phenomenon: how varied our notions of help can be.

We might be types who, when we divulge our agonies, our priority may just be to hear that everything will eventually be okay, even with a little bit of exaggeration. For us, love is hope.

Or, alternatively, it’s hope that may be irritating. What calms us down is a quiet walk around the prospect of catastrophe. We long for someone to explore the grimmest possibilities and be honest enough to see the dangers and to worry about them as much as we do.

Differently again, when we’re sad or in difficulties, need first and foremost to speak. All that matters is someone sitting with us, at length, and listen. We want them to signal their engagement with their eyes, to register our anger, to observe our disappointment, and to prompt us with a small supportive sound. Yet what we absolutely don’t want: answers, solutions, or analyses, because the real problem we need assistance with isn’t so much the specific issue we are mentioning. It’s the overarching sense that most people we encounter can’t really be bothered with our problems.

Then again, at another end of the spectrum, love might not feel real unless it’s accompanied by precise and concrete actions. We might want to hear a flow of ideas as to what we should do next, whom we might call, and how we can get answers.

A cuddle can sound to some like a petty response to bad news, but for us, it can be the most reliable evidence of heartfelt love. To help our minds, we need someone first to reassure our bodies while we close our eyes in pain and surrender to their firm embrace.

Recognizing that there are different styles of help, at least alerts us to the severe risks of misunderstanding. Instead of getting annoyed at inept and sometimes wildly misdirected efforts, we can grasp the basic truth that these are actually the attempts to be nice.

Altruism – Is It a Self-Denial or a Part of a Human Nature

Altruism is another way to say helping others and means acting in the best interest of people rather than in one’s own self-interest. Some believe that altruism constitutes the essence of morality. A person who helps others selflessly and has a passion for helping others may be called an altruist.

Although we often act egotistically, we also seem to be wired to cooperate with others. For example, studies show that when people look for mates, they tend to look for kindness more than any other quality. People’s moral judgments are often driven by emotion, and empathy for others seems to encourage altruism, which builds social connections as well and stimulates us to establish strong relationships.

But the question about nature of altruism has been stumping scientists for years.

Charles Darwin studied beehives and realized that natural selection might favor altruism within related groups, since bees were helping their blood relatives, especially the queen, but still considered altruism to be a flaw that could ruin his theory of natural selection – it couldn’t possibly favor a behavior that made us less likely to survive.

In 1964, a hundred years later after that, a British scientist named William Hamilton figured that the genes responsible for altruistic behavior could evolve if its benefit exceeded whatever cost it had for the individual because it helped their relatives enough to make it worthwhile.

However, this idea do not explain why some animals help others that they’re not even related to.

Humans, for example, are deeply social animals, also exceptionally altruistic. A lot of scientists think that humans evolved our smart brains in response to the overwhelming profits of engaging in selfless behavior.

But if you delve into it you can see a self-serving basement behind that altruism evolution – we help each other because we expect the same in return.

Hamilton’s theory does not clarify such twist. But despite the lack of the scientific grounds, if you can cooperate with others and resist the urge to horde resources, knowing you’ll be rewarded later, you’ll be acting a lot like bees.

Another emotion, called “elevation,” appears to inspire altruistic behavior, too. It is a word for feeling good about helping others, and we also experience it when we see another person acting virtuously.

So, while altruism leads us to do what’s best for others, it also makes us feel good in the process and can claim to be a part of human nature, yet research has yet to confirm it.

For more information on this topic, click the link and watch the video down below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Diuv3XZQXyc

Famous Philanthropists

There is also another kind of people addicted to helping others – philanthropists. The word “philanthropy” comes from the Greek “filo” which means friend, and if you translate it directly, it is “love of mankind” or “caring about your community”.

We will tell you about some outstanding individuals who dedicated themselves to philanthropy and who serve as great examples of helping others. They can also inspire you to write a role model essay. You are free to use this article with plenty of precious thoughts!

Michael Bloomberg

Two months after the 9/11 attacks, this man was elected mayor of New York City and served for the next eleven years. He’s become well known for his charity group “Bloomberg Philanthropies” which centers on five key areas: public health, the arts, government innovation, environment, and education, essentially the foundation for a progressive America.

Andrew Carnegie

Upon moving to the United States from his native Scotland in 1848 an adolescent Andrew Carnegie nabbed his first job and realized the potential of his new land. Along came the Industrial Revolution, and he is one of the men who truly shaped the country. Carnegie amassed a fortune that he continuously pumped back into the economy. Andrew set the standard for billionaire philanthropists as he donated approximately 90 percent of his earnings to a new America.

Bill and Melinda Gates

Bill Gates was a co-founder of Microsoft and he’s long been on record about his admiration for Andrew Carnegie along with David Rockefeller. With the American forefathers serving as his model for philanthropy, Bill and his wife Melinda formed the “Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation” in 2000 which is undoubtedly the 21st century model for all major philanthropists. They have graciously donated nearly thirty billion dollars to charity as of 2013. Moreover, in a new digital world Bill and Melinda Gates are able to effectively organize the world’s most influential moguls to promote a better way of life across the globe.

Quotes About Helping Others

Let’s sum it all up with touching quotes to give thought to:

“Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.” – Sally Koch
“He who serves the most, reaps the most.” – Jim Rohn
“Life engenders life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.” – Sarah Bernhardt
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” – Pablo Picasso  
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” ― Barack Obama

How to start helping others? Begin with small things and get rid of the prejudice that helping others is the privilege of rich people. Use the abovementioned tips to start changing the world for the better!

What is the word for helping others? Altruism is another helping others definition that implies selfless and devoted concern for others’ well-being. It is the opposite of egocentrism. The most famous altruists and philanthropists are Mother Teresa, Mark Zuckerberg, Paul Allen, Bill Gates, George Soros, etc.

Why is helping others important? By provinding someone with help we build a happier community with strong connections, as well as improving other people’s and our own well-being and health.

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In fact, a very interesting way to help yourself is to help others. Indeed, if we help others, the world begins to open up for us in a new way, something unusual and new appears in life. By helping others, we get out of our bubble, leave our comfort zone, which forces us to grow beyond ourselves. This is how a person demonstrates his growth. For me, all your advice still works! Thank you for this!

You Must First Help Yourself Before You Can Help Others

Helping others can be a noble goal depending on the intent. It can also be foolish and stupid as well. Helping others who hate you makes you an idiot likewise failing to help your brothers makes you a coward. It all depends on a variety of factors. But the intelligence of helping others is not what this article is about. This article is about how even if you’re overarching goal to help others and change their lives, you still have to start by putting yourself first.

Put another way for you to be effective you must first help yourself before you help others. Otherwise it’ll be the classic case of the blind leading the blind. In order to give value and help others you must in the first place have value to give. Even if a poor man wants with all his heart to help his poor brothers become rich he can’t do them any good. Other than support which at the end of day doesn’t count for much as a man should find his own inner support anyways.

Regardless Of Your Intentions You Must Come First

Regardless if you don’t give a damn about anyone around you and want the best for yourself or if you want to help everyone around you and you want the best for yourself you have to put yourself first. You can’t help others from a place of weakness it just isn’t possible. No matter how good your intentions are (which we know don’t count for shit) if you operating from a place of weakness then you’re not going to do anyone any good. You have to take care of yourself first before you can help others.

So no matter what way you slice it you have to come first. You must always put yourself first in life (for more reasons then I’m laying out here). Put your development first. It’s like when you’re flying on an airplane and those bags drop down. They always tell you to put yours on first before helping others. Even if you’re flying with your children you put yours on first because if you go unconscious then you’ll be no good helping your children anyways. You have to take care of yourself before you’ll be any good to anyone else.

It all comes down to strength (doesn’t it always?). If you’re not strong you cannot help the weak, plain and simple. If you son is dying of some rare form of disease and you don’t have the money to pay for it or the sales skills to get others to pay for it then you’re son will die. Was it because of lack of care or love? No, of course not. It was because of a lack of strength in this case. Strength with money in particular. You couldn’t help your son because you weren’t strong enough.

Likewise if your brother got jumped and has three men beating on him and you have no idea of how to fight you’re not going to be much use to him. Everything in life is predicated on strength. Strength is the ultimate (and perhaps only true) virtue. Without strength nothing matters. Likewise what good are you going to be to someone struggling with money, women, or something else. If you yourself haven’t mastered that very same thing? No good that’s what. You must be something to help someone. Those without power cannot do anything, anything for themselves, or anything for others. Start with yourself and then once you’ve built up you can lead others.

Constant Improvement

So we come back to a common theme of this blog. You must constantly improve and grow every day of your life. It doesn’t matter if you want to conquer the world or save it your usefulness to it is in direct correlation to your strength. And strength is only developed through constant improvement. If you’re focused on helping someone but are weak you are doing both the person you are trying to help and yourself a disservice. Focus on conquering your own weaknesses and then once you’ve turned your weaknesses into strengths you can then show others the path.

A weak man can help no one. A strong can man can help (or destroy) all. No matter what you want in this life it all starts with strength and power. Everything else is secondary. Including love, care, morality, and intentions. You must become a king to make a dent for better or for worse. The sooner you get this the more good you will be able to do and the more freedom you will have. Which after all are the point to have freedom to what you want to do.

No matter how badly you want to help others or how noble or pure your intentions are you aren’t going to be of any use to anyone until you take care of yourself first. Put yourself first always. Goodness in and of itself does nothing. Only goodness (or anything else) backed by power and strength can accomplish anything. The spectators just get killed while the hero and the villain fight. No matter how good their intentions were or how much they wanted to help. Be strong, take care of yourself, and then and only then can you truly help others.

If anything I said here interests you I’d highly recommend you check out The Ultimate Alpha Collection which is a compilation of 16 of my books for the price of 5. It covers everything from being a man to making money to getting the right mindset to getting girls to fighting and more and is a resource no man should be without.  Pick up your copy today!

-Charles Sledge

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How To Accomplish A Big Lofty Goal That Seems Almost Impossible

Charles Sledge

Quick story, my son was walking home from a graduation party, and was jumped by three black guys, in our city, an all white city.

He fought out of the situation, made it to home base, I said jump in the car, I went looking for 3 black dudes, told my son, 18 at the time to wait in the car, I started walking up and down the street walking through crowds of people looking for pay back, I never found them.

I would have never done that if I wasn’t capable in a big way!

Shit like that pisses me off. Had about the exact same thing happen to friend of mine. Fucking limp dicked cowards only attack in great numbers. Too bad you didn’t find them.

Comments are closed.

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Essay on Helping Someone

Students are often asked to write an essay on Helping Someone in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Helping Someone

What is helping.

Helping means giving aid or support to someone who needs it. It can be as simple as sharing your lunch with a friend or as big as helping a neighbor fix their house. When we help, we make someone’s life a little easier.

Why Should We Help?

Helping others is a good thing to do. It makes us feel good about ourselves and brings happiness to others. It also strengthens our connections with people. We learn to understand and care for others when we help them.

Ways to Help

There are many ways to help others. You can give your time, share your skills, or donate things you don’t need. Even a small act of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life.

Helping and Learning

When we help others, we also learn new things. We learn about people’s lives and their problems. This helps us become more understanding and compassionate. It also helps us grow as individuals.

Helping others is not just about doing good. It’s about being a better person, learning new things, and making the world a better place. So, let’s help others whenever we can.

250 Words Essay on Helping Someone

The joy of helping someone.

Helping someone is a noble act. It brings joy not only to the person who gets help but also to the one who offers it. It’s a way of showing kindness and love to others. It can be as simple as lending a pencil to a friend who forgot theirs or as big as helping an old person cross the street.

Helping in Everyday Life

Helping others is part of our everyday life. At school, we can help our classmates understand a hard topic. At home, we can help our parents by doing small tasks like cleaning our room or washing dishes. We can help our friends by listening to them when they are sad. All these acts of help make us better people.

Helping Builds Relationships

When we help someone, we build strong relationships with them. People remember those who help them in their time of need. They feel grateful and are likely to help us back when we need it. It’s like a circle of kindness that keeps going.

Helping Makes Us Happy

Helping others also makes us feel good about ourselves. It gives us a sense of purpose and satisfaction. When we see the smile on the faces of those we help, it makes us happy too. It’s a feeling that money can’t buy.

In conclusion, helping someone is a beautiful act of kindness. It brings joy, builds relationships, and makes us happy. So, let’s always be ready to lend a helping hand to those in need. Remember, even the smallest act of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life.

500 Words Essay on Helping Someone

Understanding the act of helping.

Helping someone is a simple act that shows kindness and empathy. It means giving your time, energy, or resources to assist another person who is in need. It could be as simple as helping a friend with homework or as big as donating clothes to people who don’t have enough. Helping is a way of showing that you care about others and their well-being.

The Importance of Helping Others

Helping others is important for many reasons. Firstly, it makes the person you’re helping feel good. When someone is in a tough spot and you lend a hand, it can make their day a little brighter. It can give them hope and show them that they are not alone.

Secondly, helping others can also make you feel good. It can give you a sense of purpose and make you feel happy. Studies have shown that people who help others often feel happier and more satisfied with their lives.

Ways to Help Others

There are many ways to help others. You don’t need to have a lot of money or resources to help. Sometimes, the simplest acts can make the biggest difference.

One way to help is by listening. If a friend is having a hard time, simply being there to listen can be a huge help. You don’t always need to offer advice or solutions. Sometimes, people just need someone to hear them out.

Another way to help is by doing small acts of kindness. This could be helping an elderly neighbor with their groceries, picking up litter in your local park, or making a card for a sick friend. Small acts of kindness can have a big impact.

The Impact of Helping Others

Helping others can have a big impact on the world around you. It can create a ripple effect. When you help someone, it often inspires them to help someone else. This can lead to more and more people helping each other, creating a kinder and more caring community.

Helping others can also help to build stronger relationships. When you help someone, it shows them that you care. This can strengthen your relationship with that person and build trust.

In conclusion, helping others is a powerful act of kindness. It can make a big difference in someone’s life and can also make you feel good. There are many ways to help others, from listening to doing small acts of kindness. Helping others can create a ripple effect of kindness in your community and help to build stronger relationships. So, the next time you see someone in need, don’t hesitate to lend a hand. You never know what a big difference it could make.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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help others help yourself essay

“Help yourself by helping others”

Select with care the area of your livelihood and make certain you love what you do. When you love your work and hold the attitude that what you do may be done on behalf of others, your life and your work can take on special meaning and deep significance. As one who gives joyously and thankfully; as one who is ever ready to assist another, you may be much more likely to be successful than the person who works simply to earn a living.

The more one works and plants, the more one can harvest. The more good one can do, the more success one can achieve. Lou Rawls, the actor and singer, talked about loving his work. He said, “Singing has been my life, and I love to sing. Sure, I get paid for singing, and I wouldn’t put that down. But when I put all that is in me into a song, and those who listen let me know we’re together, that’s really living. I would suggest to anyone that if you don’t love what you’re doing, find something you love to do and do it—especially if it makes you feel that you and other people are together. That’s been my life, and I thank God for it.” Why is it that by giving ourself to others in loving service, we may bring a sense of integration into our life that nothing in all our knowledge and techniques for living ever seems to bring? Why do we find inner wholeness and well-being from acts of assistance and love? Good questions!

Service to others is a creative process that releases energy which can manifest itself in many ways and bring deeper meaning into your life. When we love deeply enough, coupled with the desire to be helpful to those around us and to our world, we often find fulfillment and true closeness with others that can satisfy our desire to reach the heart of them. On the other hand, when we do not love enough to enter into this wholesome, freeing union with others, we may try to solve our basic problem of separation by seeking power over others. We may tend to live by comparison, by being overly competitive, or by feeling better or more important than others. And these attitudes do not move us toward our goals of unity, love, and helpfulness.

When we “give ourself away” our life often has greater meaning, and we may find an expanding joy in what is accomplished. Certainly, the results of our efforts often seem to be more long lasting!

In Acts 3:6, the apostle Peter is speaking to a lame man. He said, “I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have. . . .” Reflection on these words can teach us to be sensitive to the needs of the people around us. May we desire to give what is ours to give, trusting that whatever we give can be a real blessing.

I can give of my time. I can give my love, support, and understanding. I can give of patience and compassion. I can share the gift of joy and laughter. I can offer encouragement and companionship. Perhaps, most importantly, I can give my prayers and see the Spirit of God supplying the needed comfort—uplifting, upholding, and sustaining.

We can give our assistance cheerfully, abundantly, and from a heart overflowing with God’s love.

Perhaps reading the Parable of the Talents, found in Matthew 25:14-29, can help us become aware that God gives talents to each of us. And God may hand those talents out in uneven measure. But, although God may have given more talents to one person than another, everyone is expected to use those they have to the utmost, no matter how great or meager they might be, and to use them in the service of others. The point is simply this: God is responsible for what inborn talents you possess. From there on, the responsibility is yours. It is up to you to develop them as far and as deeply as they may go. And the people who use their talents completely—and most of all to help and love others less fortunate—will be rewarded and find success.

Success takes many forms; wealth and fame are only one kind of success. Perhaps you have a talent to help those who seem to have no talent. Every act of helping is a way of saying “Yes!” to life.

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The Case for Marrying an Older Man

A woman’s life is all work and little rest. an age gap relationship can help..

help others help yourself essay

In the summer, in the south of France, my husband and I like to play, rather badly, the lottery. We take long, scorching walks to the village — gratuitous beauty, gratuitous heat — kicking up dust and languid debates over how we’d spend such an influx. I purchase scratch-offs, jackpot tickets, scraping the former with euro coins in restaurants too fine for that. I never cash them in, nor do I check the winning numbers. For I already won something like the lotto, with its gifts and its curses, when he married me.

He is ten years older than I am. I chose him on purpose, not by chance. As far as life decisions go, on balance, I recommend it.

When I was 20 and a junior at Harvard College, a series of great ironies began to mock me. I could study all I wanted, prove myself as exceptional as I liked, and still my fiercest advantage remained so universal it deflated my other plans. My youth. The newness of my face and body. Compellingly effortless; cruelly fleeting. I shared it with the average, idle young woman shrugging down the street. The thought, when it descended on me, jolted my perspective, the way a falling leaf can make you look up: I could diligently craft an ideal existence, over years and years of sleepless nights and industry. Or I could just marry it early.

So naturally I began to lug a heavy suitcase of books each Saturday to the Harvard Business School to work on my Nabokov paper. In one cavernous, well-appointed room sat approximately 50 of the planet’s most suitable bachelors. I had high breasts, most of my eggs, plausible deniability when it came to purity, a flush ponytail, a pep in my step that had yet to run out. Apologies to Progress, but older men still desired those things.

I could not understand why my female classmates did not join me, given their intelligence. Each time I reconsidered the project, it struck me as more reasonable. Why ignore our youth when it amounted to a superpower? Why assume the burdens of womanhood, its too-quick-to-vanish upper hand, but not its brief benefits at least? Perhaps it came easier to avoid the topic wholesale than to accept that women really do have a tragically short window of power, and reason enough to take advantage of that fact while they can. As for me, I liked history, Victorian novels, knew of imminent female pitfalls from all the books I’d read: vampiric boyfriends; labor, at the office and in the hospital, expected simultaneously; a decline in status as we aged, like a looming eclipse. I’d have disliked being called calculating, but I had, like all women, a calculator in my head. I thought it silly to ignore its answers when they pointed to an unfairness for which we really ought to have been preparing.

I was competitive by nature, an English-literature student with all the corresponding major ambitions and minor prospects (Great American novel; email job). A little Bovarist , frantic for new places and ideas; to travel here, to travel there, to be in the room where things happened. I resented the callow boys in my class, who lusted after a particular, socially sanctioned type on campus: thin and sexless, emotionally detached and socially connected, the opposite of me. Restless one Saturday night, I slipped on a red dress and snuck into a graduate-school event, coiling an HDMI cord around my wrist as proof of some technical duty. I danced. I drank for free, until one of the organizers asked me to leave. I called and climbed into an Uber. Then I promptly climbed out of it. For there he was, emerging from the revolving doors. Brown eyes, curved lips, immaculate jacket. I went to him, asked him for a cigarette. A date, days later. A second one, where I discovered he was a person, potentially my favorite kind: funny, clear-eyed, brilliant, on intimate terms with the universe.

I used to love men like men love women — that is, not very well, and with a hunger driven only by my own inadequacies. Not him. In those early days, I spoke fondly of my family, stocked the fridge with his favorite pasta, folded his clothes more neatly than I ever have since. I wrote his mother a thank-you note for hosting me in his native France, something befitting a daughter-in-law. It worked; I meant it. After graduation and my fellowship at Oxford, I stayed in Europe for his career and married him at 23.

Of course I just fell in love. Romances have a setting; I had only intervened to place myself well. Mainly, I spotted the precise trouble of being a woman ahead of time, tried to surf it instead of letting it drown me on principle. I had grown bored of discussions of fair and unfair, equal or unequal , and preferred instead to consider a thing called ease.

The reception of a particular age-gap relationship depends on its obviousness. The greater and more visible the difference in years and status between a man and a woman, the more it strikes others as transactional. Transactional thinking in relationships is both as American as it gets and the least kosher subject in the American romantic lexicon. When a 50-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman walk down the street, the questions form themselves inside of you; they make you feel cynical and obscene: How good of a deal is that? Which party is getting the better one? Would I take it? He is older. Income rises with age, so we assume he has money, at least relative to her; at minimum, more connections and experience. She has supple skin. Energy. Sex. Maybe she gets a Birkin. Maybe he gets a baby long after his prime. The sight of their entwined hands throws a lucid light on the calculations each of us makes, in love, to varying degrees of denial. You could get married in the most romantic place in the world, like I did, and you would still have to sign a contract.

Twenty and 30 is not like 30 and 40; some freshness to my features back then, some clumsiness in my bearing, warped our decade, in the eyes of others, to an uncrossable gulf. Perhaps this explains the anger we felt directed at us at the start of our relationship. People seemed to take us very, very personally. I recall a hellish car ride with a friend of his who began to castigate me in the backseat, in tones so low that only I could hear him. He told me, You wanted a rich boyfriend. You chased and snuck into parties . He spared me the insult of gold digger, but he drew, with other words, the outline for it. Most offended were the single older women, my husband’s classmates. They discussed me in the bathroom at parties when I was in the stall. What does he see in her? What do they talk about? They were concerned about me. They wielded their concern like a bludgeon. They paraphrased without meaning to my favorite line from Nabokov’s Lolita : “You took advantage of my disadvantage,” suspecting me of some weakness he in turn mined. It did not disturb them, so much, to consider that all relationships were trades. The trouble was the trade I’d made struck them as a bad one.

The truth is you can fall in love with someone for all sorts of reasons, tiny transactions, pluses and minuses, whose sum is your affection for each other, your loyalty, your commitment. The way someone picks up your favorite croissant. Their habit of listening hard. What they do for you on your anniversary and your reciprocal gesture, wrapped thoughtfully. The serenity they inspire; your happiness, enlivening it. When someone says they feel unappreciated, what they really mean is you’re in debt to them.

When I think of same-age, same-stage relationships, what I tend to picture is a woman who is doing too much for too little.

I’m 27 now, and most women my age have “partners.” These days, girls become partners quite young. A partner is supposed to be a modern answer to the oppression of marriage, the terrible feeling of someone looming over you, head of a household to which you can only ever be the neck. Necks are vulnerable. The problem with a partner, however, is if you’re equal in all things, you compromise in all things. And men are too skilled at taking .

There is a boy out there who knows how to floss because my friend taught him. Now he kisses college girls with fresh breath. A boy married to my friend who doesn’t know how to pack his own suitcase. She “likes to do it for him.” A million boys who know how to touch a woman, who go to therapy because they were pushed, who learned fidelity, boundaries, decency, manners, to use a top sheet and act humanely beneath it, to call their mothers, match colors, bring flowers to a funeral and inhale, exhale in the face of rage, because some girl, some girl we know, some girl they probably don’t speak to and will never, ever credit, took the time to teach him. All while she was working, raising herself, clawing up the cliff-face of adulthood. Hauling him at her own expense.

I find a post on Reddit where five thousand men try to define “ a woman’s touch .” They describe raised flower beds, blankets, photographs of their loved ones, not hers, sprouting on the mantel overnight. Candles, coasters, side tables. Someone remembering to take lint out of the dryer. To give compliments. I wonder what these women are getting back. I imagine them like Cinderella’s mice, scurrying around, their sole proof of life their contributions to a more central character. On occasion I meet a nice couple, who grew up together. They know each other with a fraternalism tender and alien to me.  But I think of all my friends who failed at this, were failed at this, and I think, No, absolutely not, too risky . Riskier, sometimes, than an age gap.

My younger brother is in his early 20s, handsome, successful, but in many ways: an endearing disaster. By his age, I had long since wisened up. He leaves his clothes in the dryer, takes out a single shirt, steams it for three minutes. His towel on the floor, for someone else to retrieve. His lovely, same-age girlfriend is aching to fix these tendencies, among others. She is capable beyond words. Statistically, they will not end up together. He moved into his first place recently, and she, the girlfriend, supplied him with a long, detailed list of things he needed for his apartment: sheets, towels, hangers, a colander, which made me laugh. She picked out his couch. I will bet you anything she will fix his laundry habits, and if so, they will impress the next girl. If they break up, she will never see that couch again, and he will forget its story. I tell her when I visit because I like her, though I get in trouble for it: You shouldn’t do so much for him, not for someone who is not stuck with you, not for any boy, not even for my wonderful brother.

Too much work had left my husband, by 30, jaded and uninspired. He’d burned out — but I could reenchant things. I danced at restaurants when they played a song I liked. I turned grocery shopping into an adventure, pleased by what I provided. Ambitious, hungry, he needed someone smart enough to sustain his interest, but flexible enough in her habits to build them around his hours. I could. I do: read myself occupied, make myself free, materialize beside him when he calls for me. In exchange, I left a lucrative but deadening spreadsheet job to write full-time, without having to live like a writer. I learned to cook, a little, and decorate, somewhat poorly. Mostly I get to read, to walk central London and Miami and think in delicious circles, to work hard, when necessary, for free, and write stories for far less than minimum wage when I tally all the hours I take to write them.

At 20, I had felt daunted by the project of becoming my ideal self, couldn’t imagine doing it in tandem with someone, two raw lumps of clay trying to mold one another and only sullying things worse. I’d go on dates with boys my age and leave with the impression they were telling me not about themselves but some person who didn’t exist yet and on whom I was meant to bet regardless. My husband struck me instead as so finished, formed. Analyzable for compatibility. He bore the traces of other women who’d improved him, small but crucial basics like use a coaster ; listen, don’t give advice. Young egos mellow into patience and generosity.

My husband isn’t my partner. He’s my mentor, my lover, and, only in certain contexts, my friend. I’ll never forget it, how he showed me around our first place like he was introducing me to myself: This is the wine you’ll drink, where you’ll keep your clothes, we vacation here, this is the other language we’ll speak, you’ll learn it, and I did. Adulthood seemed a series of exhausting obligations. But his logistics ran so smoothly that he simply tacked mine on. I moved into his flat, onto his level, drag and drop, cleaner thrice a week, bills automatic. By opting out of partnership in my 20s, I granted myself a kind of compartmentalized, liberating selfishness none of my friends have managed. I am the work in progress, the party we worry about, a surprising dominance. When I searched for my first job, at 21, we combined our efforts, for my sake. He had wisdom to impart, contacts with whom he arranged coffees; we spent an afternoon, laughing, drawing up earnest lists of my pros and cons (highly sociable; sloppy math). Meanwhile, I took calls from a dear friend who had a boyfriend her age. Both savagely ambitious, hyperclose and entwined in each other’s projects. If each was a start-up , the other was the first hire, an intense dedication I found riveting. Yet every time she called me, I hung up with the distinct feeling that too much was happening at the same time: both learning to please a boss; to forge more adult relationships with their families; to pay bills and taxes and hang prints on the wall. Neither had any advice to give and certainly no stability. I pictured a three-legged race, two people tied together and hobbling toward every milestone.

I don’t fool myself. My marriage has its cons. There are only so many times one can say “thank you” — for splendid scenes, fine dinners — before the phrase starts to grate. I live in an apartment whose rent he pays and that shapes the freedom with which I can ever be angry with him. He doesn’t have to hold it over my head. It just floats there, complicating usual shorthands to explain dissatisfaction like, You aren’t being supportive lately . It’s a Frenchism to say, “Take a decision,” and from time to time I joke: from whom? Occasionally I find myself in some fabulous country at some fabulous party and I think what a long way I have traveled, like a lucky cloud, and it is frightening to think of oneself as vapor.

Mostly I worry that if he ever betrayed me and I had to move on, I would survive, but would find in my humor, preferences, the way I make coffee or the bed nothing that he did not teach, change, mold, recompose, stamp with his initials, the way Renaissance painters hid in their paintings their faces among a crowd. I wonder if when they looked at their paintings, they saw their own faces first. But this is the wrong question, if our aim is happiness. Like the other question on which I’m expected to dwell: Who is in charge, the man who drives or the woman who put him there so she could enjoy herself? I sit in the car, in the painting it would have taken me a corporate job and 20 years to paint alone, and my concern over who has the upper hand becomes as distant as the horizon, the one he and I made so wide for me.

To be a woman is to race against the clock, in several ways, until there is nothing left to be but run ragged.

We try to put it off, but it will hit us at some point: that we live in a world in which our power has a different shape from that of men, a different distribution of advantage, ours a funnel and theirs an expanding cone. A woman at 20 rarely has to earn her welcome; a boy at 20 will be turned away at the door. A woman at 30 may find a younger woman has taken her seat; a man at 30 will have invited her. I think back to the women in the bathroom, my husband’s classmates. What was my relationship if not an inconvertible sign of this unfairness? What was I doing, in marrying older, if not endorsing it? I had taken advantage of their disadvantage. I had preempted my own. After all, principled women are meant to defy unfairness, to show some integrity or denial, not plan around it, like I had. These were driven women, successful, beautiful, capable. I merely possessed the one thing they had already lost. In getting ahead of the problem, had I pushed them down? If I hadn’t, would it really have made any difference?

When we decided we wanted to be equal to men, we got on men’s time. We worked when they worked, retired when they retired, had to squeeze pregnancy, children, menopause somewhere impossibly in the margins. I have a friend, in her late 20s, who wears a mood ring; these days it is often red, flickering in the air like a siren when she explains her predicament to me. She has raised her fair share of same-age boyfriends. She has put her head down, worked laboriously alongside them, too. At last she is beginning to reap the dividends, earning the income to finally enjoy herself. But it is now, exactly at this precipice of freedom and pleasure, that a time problem comes closing in. If she would like to have children before 35, she must begin her next profession, motherhood, rather soon, compromising inevitably her original one. The same-age partner, equally unsettled in his career, will take only the minimum time off, she guesses, or else pay some cost which will come back to bite her. Everything unfailingly does. If she freezes her eggs to buy time, the decision and its logistics will burden her singly — and perhaps it will not work. Overlay the years a woman is supposed to establish herself in her career and her fertility window and it’s a perfect, miserable circle. By midlife women report feeling invisible, undervalued; it is a telling cliché, that after all this, some husbands leave for a younger girl. So when is her time, exactly? For leisure, ease, liberty? There is no brand of feminism which achieved female rest. If women’s problem in the ’50s was a paralyzing malaise, now it is that they are too active, too capable, never permitted a vacation they didn’t plan. It’s not that our efforts to have it all were fated for failure. They simply weren’t imaginative enough.

For me, my relationship, with its age gap, has alleviated this rush , permitted me to massage the clock, shift its hands to my benefit. Very soon, we will decide to have children, and I don’t panic over last gasps of fun, because I took so many big breaths of it early: on the holidays of someone who had worked a decade longer than I had, in beautiful places when I was young and beautiful, a symmetry I recommend. If such a thing as maternal energy exists, mine was never depleted. I spent the last nearly seven years supported more than I support and I am still not as old as my husband was when he met me. When I have a child, I will expect more help from him than I would if he were younger, for what does professional tenure earn you if not the right to set more limits on work demands — or, if not, to secure some child care, at the very least? When I return to work after maternal upheaval, he will aid me, as he’s always had, with his ability to put himself aside, as younger men are rarely able.

Above all, the great gift of my marriage is flexibility. A chance to live my life before I become responsible for someone else’s — a lover’s, or a child’s. A chance to write. A chance at a destiny that doesn’t adhere rigidly to the routines and timelines of men, but lends itself instead to roomy accommodation, to the very fluidity Betty Friedan dreamed of in 1963 in The Feminine Mystique , but we’ve largely forgotten: some career or style of life that “permits year-to-year variation — a full-time paid job in one community, part-time in another, exercise of the professional skill in serious volunteer work or a period of study during pregnancy or early motherhood when a full-time job is not feasible.” Some things are just not feasible in our current structures. Somewhere along the way we stopped admitting that, and all we did was make women feel like personal failures. I dream of new structures, a world in which women have entry-level jobs in their 30s; alternate avenues for promotion; corporate ladders with balconies on which they can stand still, have a smoke, take a break, make a baby, enjoy themselves, before they keep climbing. Perhaps men long for this in their own way. Actually I am sure of that.

Once, when we first fell in love, I put my head in his lap on a long car ride; I remember his hands on my face, the sun, the twisting turns of a mountain road, surprising and not surprising us like our romance, and his voice, telling me that it was his biggest regret that I was so young, he feared he would lose me. Last week, we looked back at old photos and agreed we’d given each other our respective best years. Sometimes real equality is not so obvious, sometimes it takes turns, sometimes it takes almost a decade to reveal itself.

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  1. Essay Helping Others (With images)

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  2. Help Others ... Help Yourself by Susan Spellman Cann

    help others help yourself essay

  3. John Templeton Quote: “Help yourself by helping others.”

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  4. Steps to Write an Essay about Yourself

    help others help yourself essay

  5. Help Yourself by Helping Others

    help others help yourself essay

  6. let's help others : English ESL worksheets pdf & doc

    help others help yourself essay

COMMENTS

  1. This I Believe: Help Yourself by Helping Others

    I believe that when you take action to help others, you are investing in your own future. By extending yourself and taking action to support a belief, cause, individual, or group, you can reach new personal heights. One incentive for doing good is the respect that comes with being associated with philanthropy. People respect those who sacrifice ...

  2. In Helping Others, You Help Yourself

    One reason behind the positive feelings associated with helping others is that being pro-social reinforces our sense of relatedness to others, thus helping us meet our most basic psychological ...

  3. To Take Care of Others, Start by Taking Care of Yourself

    The author offers four suggestions: 1) Start with self-care. We can't share with others a resource that we lack ourselves. 2) Ask for help when you need it. If you don't ask for that support ...

  4. Can Helping Others Help You Find Meaning in Life?

    New research is finding that being kind and giving to others can make our lives feel more meaningful. The idea that helping others is part of a meaningful life has been around for thousands of years. Aristotle wrote that finding happiness and fulfillment is achieved "by loving rather than in being loved.". According to the psychologist ...

  5. Why Taking Care of Your Own Well-Being Helps Others

    Our well-being helps us engage in social problems and help the world. We all need to pitch in right now and do the right thing to protect society at large. Fortunately, taking care of our own well-being may give us the emotional resources to help those around us deal with the coronavirus. As one study found, happier people are more likely to ...

  6. Why Helping Others Actually Helps Yourself

    No matter what the motivation, getting out and helping others is the key. So in that spirit of motivation, here are 5 reasons why helping others actually helps yourself. 1. Quid Pro Quo — a Favor for a Favor. When you help someone, they will be more likely to help you. This is the basic, unspoken agreement that fuels nearly every move.

  7. Helping Others: Definition, Benefits, & Examples

    There are many benefits to helping others beyond the good we put into the world. For example, helping others is associated with greater health, well-being, and longevity (Post, 2014). Research has also shown that helping others can improve self-confidence, self-awareness, self-esteem, and reduced symptoms of depression (Schwartz & Sendor, 1999).

  8. Giving

    Scientific studies show that helping others can contribute to our happiness in different ways. These include: experiencing more positive emotions and satisfaction with life [5]; increasing our sense of meaning [6], and boosting our self-confidence. It can reduce stress and help us feel calmer too. [7]

  9. Helping Others in Need: Importance of Prioritizing Yourself: [Essay

    It means taking care of themselves so they can be more productive and a better person. It means loving themselves just a tiny bit more than they love others. People are not being selfish and uncaring for others like the other people say they are just trying to make themselves happy so then they can help other people.

  10. Free Helping Others Essay Examples & Topic Ideas

    Remember, a good helping others essay topic should be thought-provoking, inspiring, and unique. It should encapsulate the essence of your message and motivate readers to take action. Ignite Inspiration with the Best Helping Others Essay Topics. Here are some of the best helping others essay topics that will captivate your readers:

  11. My Purpose in Life is to Help Others

    Conclusion: Embracing the Journey of Helping Others. As we conclude this exploration of my purpose to help others, the journey reveals itself as a path of profound personal growth, fulfillment, and impact. It is a purpose that extends beyond the self, seeking to alleviate suffering and create a better world for all.

  12. Essay on Helping Others in Life

    Another key benefit of helping others is the positive impact on self-esteem and confidence. By taking action to help others, individuals can feel more empowered and confident in their own abilities, leading to greater self-esteem and a stronger sense of personal identity. II. Benefits to Mental Health. A. Reduced Stress and Anxiety

  13. 11 Best Written Essays on Helping Others in Life-Need & Importance

    As they say, "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.". So let us all follow Rohan's example and make helping others a way of life. 8. Essay on helping hand: In our fast-paced and competitive world, the concept of a "helping hand" has become more important than ever before.

  14. How to Actually Help Yourself by Helping Others, Essay

    Among the most obvious profits are: Stress Decrease. Lower anxiety levels and keep yourself active by offering to do yardwork for those who are not able to do it by themselves. Longer Life. Donating blood reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, and has been linked to an increased lifespan.

  15. Help Yourself Before Others

    We can only give what we possess, and loving oneself before others is a pathway to fulfillment and happiness. When you prioritize yourself, you automatically multiply that, which you are able to ...

  16. You Must First Help Yourself Before You Can Help Others

    Helping others can be a noble goal depending on the intent. It can also be foolish and stupid as well. Helping others who hate you makes you an idiot likewise failing to help your brothers makes you a coward. It all depends on a variety of factors. But the intelligence of helping others is not what this article is about.

  17. Helping Others Essays at WritingBros

    Helping Others and Fostering a Collaborative Relationship. 4. Helping Others as the Main Goal of Volunteering Activities. 5. The Philosophical Term Altruism in Psychology. 6. Be The Change You Wish To See In The World: A Story. 7. The Traits That Make Up A Hero: What It Means To Be A Hero. 8. The Truth Behind What It Means To Be A Hero. 9.

  18. Essay on Self Help Is The Best Help

    In conclusion, 'Self Help Is The Best Help' is a valuable concept. It helps us to be independent, confident, and successful. We should always try to solve our problems ourselves before seeking help from others. 250 Words Essay on Self Help Is The Best Help Introduction

  19. Essay on Helping Someone

    Helping others also makes us feel good about ourselves. It gives us a sense of purpose and satisfaction. When we see the smile on the faces of those we help, it makes us happy too. It's a feeling that money can't buy. In conclusion, helping someone is a beautiful act of kindness. It brings joy, builds relationships, and makes us happy.

  20. "Help yourself by helping others"

    Worldwide Laws of Life. Select with care the area of your livelihood and make certain you love what you do. When you love your work and hold the attitude that what you do may be done on behalf of others, your life and your work can take on special meaning and deep significance. As one who gives joyously and thankfully; as one who is ever ready ...

  21. Essay on Helping Others

    Essay on Helping Others. This essay sample was donated by a student to help the academic community. Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. The two careers I chose for my senior project are Registered Nurse and Mental Health, counselor. The pros of being an RN are a good salary and teamwork.

  22. Essay On Help Yourself By Helping Others

    Essay On Help Yourself By Helping Others 1. Step To get started, you must first create an account on site StudyHub.Vip. The registration process is quick and simple, taking just a few moments.

  23. Age Gap Relationships: The Case for Marrying an Older Man

    The reception of a particular age-gap relationship depends on its obviousness. The greater and more visible the difference in years and status between a man and a woman, the more it strikes others as transactional. Transactional thinking in relationships is both as American as it gets and the least kosher subject in the American romantic lexicon.