In what ways does helping others benefit us?

Fact Checked

Under review

The person who helps, who gives and is generous, receives an intrinsic reward for his or her way of acting. He sees the reward of his sacrifice reflected in the other. On the other hand, this attitude of delivery and collaboration becomes dangerous when the person gives more than he can afford or when he instrumentalizes his delivery, seeking to stimulate reciprocity.

Written and verified by the psychologist Elena Sanz.

Since we are little, the adults around us try to instill in us values such as generosity, solidarity and empathy. They remind us of the importance of helping others, approaching it from the prism of altruism.

The reality is that it has been shown that There are hardly any completely selfless acts, since favoring others always brings us benefits of some kind..

This, far from giving us a selfish vision of the human being, confirms that prosocial behaviors are beneficial for both those who receive them and those who issue them.

How does helping others benefit us?

Improves self-esteem

When we perform an action that is beneficial to others, we feel better about ourselves. This satisfaction comes from the certainty that we are acting in the appropriate way. The image that each person maintains of themselves becomes more positive, as they can consider themselves a good and generous person.

But, also, when this happens we feel more useful. Knowing that we are necessary, that we can contribute to the well-being and happiness of others, makes us feel important and valuable.. All the positive attributes that come from acting in solidarity contribute to strengthening our self-esteem.

Read Also: 4 types of introverted personalities

Strengthen our ties

Having a quality social support network is truly beneficial for our health, both physical and emotional. Social support acts as a stress buffer and helps us implement better coping strategies, making recovery from the disease faster.

Well then, By helping others, we are strengthening the emotional ties that bind us to them.. When we do a favor for a person, they feel supported, valuable and appreciated. Consequently, she will express her gratitude to us with words or gestures, which will provide us with a pleasant feeling of satisfaction.

In this way, a cycle of positive exchanges is forged between both people that favors the happiness of both. By helping others, we are helping our relationships be based on reciprocity, trust and gratitude. Thus, having social ties of this type will have a great impact on our well-being.

Awaken gratitude

Helping others helps us witness different realities and become aware of all the good that surrounds us.. It motivates us to be grateful for finding ourselves in the position of someone who can help rather than someone who needs to be helped. This favors the development of positive thinking and keeps complaints away, preventing our attention from being trapped in what we lack.

Lamenting what we lack, focusing on what doesn’t work damages our mood. On the contrary, recognizing and being grateful for the positive aspects of our existence helps us enhance optimism. By acting on behalf of others we open our eyes to the beauty of life and put humility into practice.

Enhances the feeling of belonging

The feeling of belonging is one of the main needs of every human being on the path to personal fulfillment. When we give, we transcend. We feel part of something bigger: a relationship, a society, humanity...

Read Also: The 10 ethical commitments, according to the Buddhist tradition

Helping sparks connections, brings us closer to others and makes us feel like we are part of a common project. The feeling of unity that comes from investing your energy in others is beneficial for both parties.

Help others after helping yourself

In some way, helping others also reminds us that we are people who need others. On the other hand, sometimes we fall into mistake of being extremely helpful to others, neglecting our own needs. The golden rule says that in order to love, you must first love yourself, in order to help, you must first help yourself: no one can give what they do not have.

When you give yourself to others without having taken care of yourself, you run the risk of remaining empty, flooded with nothingness.. Along these same lines, it is easy to confuse generosity with need: I help you so that you love me, so that you need me, so that you don’t leave my side. This attitude is unhealthy and harmful for both people and for the bond.

Therefore, when you give (love, support, understanding…), do it because you have more, not because you lack. AND Don’t forget that reciprocity is an important part of social relationships. You also deserve support, help, listening and understanding.