By helping others, you help yourself because what you give comes back to you multiplied.
This is simply one of the fundamental laws of the universe.
Often we are so wrapped up in our own lives, and our own problems, that we miss the opportunity that lies behind them. The simple feeling of being “off”, or sad, means its time to ask yourself, “how can I help someone else?”. This question will immediately take you out of your crazy ego fear based thinking.
And there are many ways that you can help or inspire someone else. Below we have listed a few ideas!
1. Smile at strangers. (Not in a creepy way though) You probably walk by many people during the day, and a simple smile might go a long way. It really doesn’t require much effort so I don’t see any reason why you can’t give it a try :)
2. Go volunteer at a local organization you are passionate about. If you are a person who loves to be outside and get your hands dirty, then Habitat for Humanity might be a great organization for you to get involved in. I (Amanda) have done many Habitat builds in that past, and I must say, they are a lot of fun! You have an opportunity to meet a lot of new interesting people. Plus building, hammering and lifting stuff is a great workout!
3. Send an Anonymous Letter. Hand write an inspirational letter (no email here) and send it to an old friend or relative you haven’t seen or spoken to in a while. Unfortunately, not many people hand write letters anymore so receiving a letter in the mail can go a long way to brighten someone’s day.
4. Send a care package. Who doesn’t love a surprise package in the mail!
5. Host a Healthy Bake Sale to Raise Money for a Cause. This can be a lot of fun especially if you have children because they can not only help you bake, but they can help you sell! Some great organizations for this are:
- Cupcakes for a Cause which helps children and families affected by cancer
- Great American Bake Sale which helps to end childhood hunger
6. Strap on Your Sneakers and run/bike/swim/climb for a Cause. This is a great way to get in shape and make a difference in an organization that you are passionate about. There are races/events all over the country and world that you can be a part of. Again, you never know who you will meet! Below are some links/resources to find a race or an event you can be a part of:
- Bike and Build organizes cross-country bicycle trips that benefit affordable housing groups. (I (Amanda) did this in 2009 and the experience changed my life. Highly highly recommended. Shout out to NC2SD ’09!)
- Women’s Health Run 10 Feed 10: run 10k and feed 10 kids in your hometown
- Fight for Air Climb: I am planning to do the climb on May 19th in Vermont. All you Rewilders in the area come join me!
- Running in the USA: a website where you can search races in the US by state
- RaceRaiser is a website where you can create your own fundraising page.
7. Give away an Inspirational Book you Love. Over the years we have read many books that inspired us. A great way to spread the love is to grab one of your favorite motivational books and write a heartfelt note inside it. Carry the book around with you and give it to a stranger. Thats right, give the book to someone you have never met! Let your intuition tell you who the write person is.
8. Write Your Story. Have you overcome a challenging time in your life? Do you have advice you think can help people who may be going through similar situations? Well what are you waiting for? Write about it and then share it! There is a lot of value in your personal experience. Write an inspirational article and then submit your story to websites and communities such as ours!
9. Donate Something you don’t Use. A lot of us have a bunch of stuff that we don’t use just laying around cluttering up our home. Why not donate it? A great place to start is your closet. If you haven’t worn it in a year then it is probably safe to say you won’t wear it again. This makes it a prime item for donation! Donating things takes up very little time and costs you nothing… get to it! It feels really good to de-clutter your life and know that your items will be put to good use.
10. Donate Blood. Every 2 seconds someone in the US needs blood. One donation can help save the lives of up to three people! Chances are, there is a donation center in your area.
Basically, when you help others, you SPREAD LOVE, and that is what this site and community is all about! Just express your love for a fellow human being every day and you will positively impact the world more than you know. Why waste one second? Start now… go give someone a hug!
Hopefully this post leaves you feeling motivated and inspired to go out and help others. Whether it is a simple smile, or raising $4000 for a cause you love, the impact will be beyond what you can see. We will leave you with two of our favorite quotes:
“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. Serve and thou shall be served.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Gandhi
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