Today, I’m going to talk about another one of my rules. This is one of my personal favorites and one that I think could completely change the world: Look for ways to help.
No matter where I go, I can always do something to make someone a bit better off than they were before. I could spend years writing out all the different possible ways of helping people. Some of them include being a shoulder to cry on, giving somebody a jump start, volunteering for a good organization, donating money to someone in need, giving blood, or simply holding the door for the next person. I’ve been in plenty of situations that didn’t require going out of my way to help someone and several that did; in either case, I always felt better when I did my part.
Some situations require massive efforts, but there are plenty times that a small amount of action makes all the difference. I don’t have to wait until my humanitarian plan is ready to go in order to help people, and it’s better if I continue helping out where I can now. Staying in the habit of looking for ways to help while I’m of modest means will allow me to help out even more when I have the resources to fulfill my life purpose. If I’m not used to helping other people now, I won’t suddenly start doing it when I make it big; money just brings out and expands elements that are already present within a person, so it’s crucial to have my habits (especially regarding helping people) in order before I acquire a lot of money.
I never know what even a small gesture might mean to another person (unless they tell me later on) but I know how much I’ve appreciated the gestures that others have extended to me, so I’m always on the lookout for ways to pay it forward. I regularly see other people doing the same, which is encouraging. Sometimes they’ll willingly help out even if nobody else does, and other times they’ll step in only if someone else is already helping. I understand that everyone has commitments and is pressed for time, but it’s nice to see people stopping to help out when they can. I think that will only become more common over time and I’m always glad to see it and participate in it.