Have you ever felt like helping others, but your energy level is not there? You end up settling for some small sweet gesture that makes you feel better, but the truth is, it's not as helpful as you originally wanted to be, and if that person was honest with you, it may not have been helpful at all.
Here are 7 incredibly simple ways of helping others that are actually helpful to them and uncomplicated for you!
There's an audio clip I recently heard on Instagram that said, "Thank you so much for this, it was entirely unhelpful, but thank you none the less." It made me laugh a little as I thought of all the times I've been entirely unhelpful in my efforts of helping others.
Maybe I made empty promises, with good intentions, of course. Another thing I have done quite regularly is try to give a friend a good listening ear but end up giving tons of unsolicited advice.
In life, it is critical that we learn to love others well, and helping them in a way that is beneficial to them and not just stroking our own ego is SO important!
This article is all about the 7 Simplest Ways of Helping Others That Benefit Them!
Tips for Helping Others
HELPING OTHERS FEEL VALUED: GIVE QUALITY TIME
We show value by what we put our time into. One way we can help others is to make them feel valued.
Giving others our time shows them we see and appreciate them.
I have mentioned this before in previous articles, but I think it's worth mentioning again. My oldest, Mercy, has a love language of quality time. Anytime she wants others to know she loves them or is craving love, she offers or asks for quality time.
She adores moments when we stop and play a game or watch a family movie. As her mom, I know that one of the ways I can help her feel valued is by giving her uninterrupted and intentional time.
Quality time can be 10 minutes or an hour. It's a simple way to show others love and care. It's such an incredible yet small act of kindness.
Tip #2 : GIVE SERVICE
Service is a practical and beneficial way of helping others.
Here's a list of suggestions, with time allotment estimation, for helping a friend, neighbor, family member, or co-worker.
- Load grocery bags in or out of their vehicle. This is especially helpful for a mom of young children! (15 minutes max)
- If they cut their lawn, you could offer to do it for them, either short or long term. (1-2 hours)
- Volunteer to come and sit with their kids to get extra things done around their house. Often people don't feel entirely comfortable asking someone to do this or even leaving their kids somewhere on the weekends. This is a practical way to help them while also making them feel completely comfortable. (2-3 hours)
- Clean their house for free. Once or monthly, whatever is most feasible for you! (Per cleaning: Max time: 8 hours, Minimum time: 2 hours)
- Offer free car washing and detailing. (1-2 hours once)
- Ask them if they need anything when making a run to the grocery store. (10 minutes max for picking up their items and dropping them off)
- Volunteer to feed or care for their pets while they go on vacation. (maximum, 1 hour a day for a week)
These are just a few ideas of how you could practically lead a helping hand with very minimal time and effort!
Additional Articles on Serving others:
MORE RELATED ARTICLES FROM GOODBYE ANXIOUS!
Helping Others Tip #3: GIVE MONEY OR A GIFT
Mother Teresa once said, "Intense love does not measure; it just gives." WE can help others by giving them money or a gift.
There is a massive difference between giving what YOU want and giving what someone needs. It's important that we give money or gifts that we know will be helpful without a shadow of a doubt.
Believe it or not, it takes minimal conscious effort to see what would be of great value and blessing to someone else.
Here are a few examples that will hopefully assist you in noticing the types of monetary help or gifts someone might need.
- Give a gas card to a commuting friend.
- A Starbucks gift card to a working mom who always seems to be in a rush. Perhaps a free latte would be just the pick-me-up she needs!
- Give a single parent a grocery gift card or bless them with a couple hundred bucks to pay their light bill.
- Your neighbor who loves to cook might enjoy a cooking class or the new set of cookware you saw and knew they would love!
The possibilities here are endless! Go wild and don't skimp!
gift ideas:
Help others tip #4: GIVE A MEAL
Story-time: When we were fresh out of high school, young college students, and working full-time, my husband and I were pretty broke most of the time.
Getting married at 18 and 19 and being out on our own was quite the adjustment. Our needs were often overwhelming.
I remember that one of the most helpful ways my Grandmother would help us was by cooking us a meal. She would call me at work and tell me to stop by because she had packed a meal for us for that night. It was such a small gesture, but its kindness still rings in my heart to this day.
My Grandmother is 89 now and doesn't cook much anymore, but she always loves to take me out to eat every time I am home for a visit.
Giving a meal is one of the easiest and most practical ways to help others!
Here are a few ideas to help with this:
- Pay for someone's meal at a restaurant.
- Give a gift card to a local cafe in town.
- Cook a meal and drop it by to a large family, busy neighbors, a lonely widow, or even a friend who just had a baby!
- Pay for the person behind you in a drive-thru window!
These are just a few ways, but there are dozens more like it. I'll link some articles below to give you more ideas about giving generously.
Helping Others by: GIVing A LISTENING EAR
If you are anything like me, you might find this one a little tricky, or it may take some genuine effort to perfect. However, it is possible and can be incredibly helpful to those around you!
Without judgment or attempts to fix issues, having a listening ear is a valuable and rare asset. Nevertheless, you can become that person for someone quite easily.
Here are some ways you can do that:
- Wake up early or stay awake later for a distraction-free phone call with a friend.
- Get a babysitter so you can have quality time with a person in your life who needs it most!
- Plan a friend's weekend trip to get some much-needed relaxation (and lots of deep talks)!
- If you see that your neighbor needs some extra time outside with you to vent, do it.
- Use phrases like, "I'm here to listen if you need me," or "if you need to talk I will always make time for you - you aren't a burden, I promise," to make them feel seen and loved!
There are many different ways to provide a listening ear to those you love. People rarely give others their undivided and uninterrupted attention. Giving someone a listening ear is a unique way to be extremely helpful to others!
Tip #6: GIVE A COMPLIMENT
Giving compliments is one of my favorite things to do! I am an encourager at heart. It is my greatest joy to make people smile and see themselves the way they should. I believe that every person profoundly desires to be seen, noticed, and affirmed in some way!
It may come as no surprise to you that my love language is words of affirmation. If you don't know what love languages are - I will link it for you because knowing yours will change your life!
Moving toward others with loving words is SUCH a passion of mine.
Here are a few ways you can do that too:
- Find something you notice or love about the say someone is working and comment on that.
- Details are KEY in more shallow compliments such as, "you're beautiful." Try, "wow, I love how you do your hair, you are such a beautiful person," instead.
- Compliment someone on their personality traits. Like, "my favorite thing about you is..."
Noticing someone's appearance is nice, but try to go deeper and be more thoughtful with your compliments.
This is helping others because nothing boosts confidence and mood like a perfectly timed and well-thought-out compliment.
Follow Goodbye Anxious
on Pinterest
Helping Others Tip #7: GIVE A HUG
I need to preface this point with a warning: This doesn't work for everyone, LOL.
I don't enjoy being hugged by strangers. I have a sneaky suspicion that most people don't.
This advice is mainly for those you feel closest to, like your family and friends. Everyone appreciates a warm embrace from a loved one. If you happen to notice someone looking exhausted or emotionally drained, something you could give to help them with minimal effort or finances is a hug.
There is tons of interesting scientific evidence to back the benefits of hugging. I'll link some articles for you to check out below!
articles about hugging:
What Are the Benefits of Hugging?
Why Hugging Is Actually Good for Your Health
As the old saying goes, "you get what you give." There is so much benefit in the act of helping others. It's power, kindness, and at its very essence, love. It's not just for others. It's for ourselves.
Mother Teresa once said, "If we lose peace we've forgotten that we belong to each other."
We belong to each other. Loving others well and helping them when we see their needs will, in return, give us peace and joy.
Every article we write is for the benefit of practically helping you say goodbye to anxiety and live a life full of joy and peace!
We hope this article helps you!
Let us know in the comments below!
Saying Goodbye to Anxious,
Kristina G.
How To Stop Comparing Yourself To Others In 6 Simple Steps
Find Your Footing: 3 Top Tips for Navigating Life Transition and New Seasons
Prioritize YOU: The Life-Changing Power of Mental Health Maintenance
The Gratitude Challenge: How to Cultivate a Daily Practice of Thankfulness
Embracing Disappointment: Your guide to rising above letdowns with resilience!
