When I moved to Oregon, I didn’t know anyone. I rented a room from a family, and they invited me to join them for Thanksgiving. I felt uncomfortable about it until the matriarch put me in charge of the mashed potatoes. Through this small role, by being helpful, I suddenly felt a sense of belonging. I had a role, and I was being helpful by filling that role.
Well, it turns out the mashed potatoes tasted like crap. This was before I developed my culinary chops and before Erin introduced me to the wonders of putting horseradish in the taters. Anyway, the whole point of the story is to show you how being helpful can benefit you.
Helpfulness is one of the core values of Brains Report. We take helping others seriously (and humorously). That being the case, here are some reasons why we think being helpful is important.
You Could Save Lives
Sure, there are the obvious ways you can save lives by being helpful: you decide to pick up that infant someone littered in the middle of the road or you perform the Heimlich on the hungy boy who decided to eat a whole game hen in one gulp. However, there are also the less obvious ways.
I’m writing this the day after 50+ people were murdered in Las Vegas. Now, imagine if the people who did such things were treated with kindness, respect, and found helpful individuals around every turn. I’m not saying all murder would be eradicated, but it would be much harder for people to reach the point where they’re killing strangers. Your helpfulness has a ripple effect in society. A helpful society is a polite (and healthy) society.
Givers Are Always More Content
When you take take take, you never have enough. You always want more. When you want more, you are not content. However, when you flip the script and give more, you fool your mind into thinking you are content. After all, if you weren’t content, how could you possibly give away your time, your muscle power, or your flat screen TV? When you help others, you replace your selfishness with selflessness.
Humans Need the Help of Others
Humans are social beings. We are less Simon & Garfunkel’s “I Am A Rock” and more the Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Friends.” Sure, there is this American ideal of self-reliance and the self-made man, but it’s BS. Whether you like it or not, you need others to get by in the world. And, that’s beautiful. Plus, when you help others, you develop the courage to ask others when you are in need.
It Just Feels Good
I have never felt bad after helping someone. Of course, I’ve never helped someone launch a nuclear weapon. I’d probably feel bad after that. But, no one would ask me to help them with such a thing because I’m too incompetent. Anyway, I get the same good feeling inside whether I’m helping a close friend or complete stranger.
Warning: Do NOT Expect Anything in Return
I don’t believe in the afterlife or karma in the mystic sense. I’m not proud of it. I just had an inferior upbringing that turned me into an evil, pragmatic atheist. You should not get into the helpfulness game thinking you’re going to get rich all-of-a-sudden. That’s not the point. The only earthly rewards you should possibly count on is making the life of another human being easier. Of course, that is a great reward.
Can you help me out? Can you please share this article? Maybe we can get a nice ripple effect going. Thanks! And, please let me know if I can help you with anything.
