“When You Don’t Know What to Do, Help Someone Else.”
We have all had moments when we felt completely hopeless and helpless. At times like this, you find it difficult to figure out how to move forward. Sometimes it seems like there is nothing you can do to move forward. When all else fails, try helping someone else.
Personal finance writer Keith Flanders discusses how she embraced the concept after talking with a friend ( Raptitude’s David Kane). Flanders writes (emphasis added):
I surrendered to the pain and confusion, waved the white flag and said, “I don’t know what to do anymore.”
I will never forget his simple answer:
When you are unsure of what to do, help someone else.
It was short, sweet and to the point, and since then I have carried these words with me. Helping someone came in all sorts of ways, from opening more doors to random acts of kindness, taking more time, listening carefully, and even smiling more. I didn’t know what to do for myself, but I could still offer parts of myself to others – and that made a big difference.
This may sound like an old commonplace, but when you change your energy in this way, several things happen. It distracts you from terrible things that you cannot control. Second, you regain control and motivation by making the decision to help . This is encouraging. Finally, it’s just fine. Sometimes even a brief moment of optimism can make a difference.
To learn more about this concept and read the full post of Flanders, follow the link below.
What to do if you don’t know what to do | Kate Flanders