Today’s insight journey led me to the idea that when we are in pain and experiencing challenging times it is a prime opportunity for us to help others. Just as challenging circumstances affect each of us differently, we each have different approaches to dealing with those challenges.
Some of us retreat emotionally and physically into our self-designated “safe places,” be they our homes, our offices, or some other place where we feel comfortable and secure. Others of us become more social, kicking our socializing skills into high gear. While still others of us pray, seek wise counsel, and perform a lot of self-evaluations. Sometimes, we implement a combination of these techniques.
Neither technique is necessarily wrong or right, though each technique affects us and our situations differently. One seemingly universal aspect that most of the commonly used techniques implemented to deal with challenges contain is a focus on self – how we can fix the situation so that we feel, look, and become better – which often results in us experiencing tunnel vision. And though a certain element of self-focus during challenging times is necessary so that we can ensure that we are properly taking care of ourselves, continuing to handle our responsibilities, etc., too much focus on ourselves can lead to heightened feelings of depression, anxiety, and distress due to our constant scrutiny of us, our circumstances, and our perceived outcomes.
However, taking the time to notice, acknowledge, and address the needs of others helps us to avoid or exit the trap of tunnel vision and experience the positive benefits of helping someone else who is in need. And though helping others does yield positive benefits to us, the motive for helping others should not be to experience those benefits, but rather to truly help, support, and encourage those whom we are helping.
Please be aware that I am not a mental health professional, so the information that I am sharing here is solely based on my personal experiences and information that I have acquired throughout my life thus far, and is not intended to function as medical or any other professional advice.
With that being said, I do hope that the information that I have shared with you will be helpful to you in some way. After all, we all share this world together and each of us experiences times of challenge and need. Coming together as a united community, focused on and determined to support and encourage each other, is one of the most powerful ways that we can ensure that humanity is healthy and thrives. Be blessed. #lovebythedrop
love by the drop 