When Helping Others Changes You More Than Them

Helping others can be viewed as compassion, generosity or simply your choice of a career. Oftentimes, helping others can and does impact the person doing the helping in significant ways. It may boost their sense of self and endorphins are released in the brain after or during the act of helping. Feeling good about yourself often stems from this act of compassion, where you feel you’ve been positively impacted even more than the person you were helping.

Happiness is also experienced by the helper and the helpee as well. Being a kind person creates internal happiness and self satisfaction. It can deepen and strengthen the connection of friendships or family relationships. Helping is an act that encourages trust in another and can foster a sense of well-being. 

One way that the helper is affected positively is by gaining a skill, gaining strength and confidence, boosting mood or reducing stress for the helper. This internal growth can be transformative for the life of the helper. Sometimes it is a surprise to the helper that they feel more positive about themselves after an act of kindness or in helping another. Putting another before oneself feels good and as the Bible says, “it is better to give than receive.” Acts 20:35 & Luke 6:38.

Sometimes the very act of being helpful creates new opportunities or circumstances in the life of the helper and the person you are helping. Perhaps the person you’ve helped, helps you in some ways, new doors can be opened to the helper for acts of kindness given by the helpee that go beyond the original intent of the person offering help.

All the above examples are ways and means to be a helpful person to another person. I am not including professional relationships to this end. Professional relationships are structured differently and follow a Code of Ethics for the helper. 

In professional relationships the helpee owes the helper nothing but perhaps a co-pay for their act of providing a professional service.

In His hands we live! Shalom–shalom.  Kristin Gedstad