Looking out for your fellow human being can often be an intrinsic part of life’s journey. Wanting to help where possible is an individual mindset that helps to strengthen community, form lasting bonds, and promote a global humanity. This materializes in a myriad of forms however, giving rise to a host of benefits.
Practicing altruism can help with your mental wellbeing, your emotional intelligence and fulfill a need to work towards the brightest possible future.
This can be an especially important trait to possess in contemporary society, making it a subject worth thinking about if you feel unmotivated, isolated, or like you want to start making a difference in your own backyard.
To Build Lasting and Meaningful Friendships
Adopting an altruistic frame of mind can help you to strengthen existing friendships—be that with colleagues, old friends, or your family. Learning to understand the thoughts, feelings, and needs of others can be a great way of bringing people closer together, thus allowing you to nurture meaningful and lasting relationships with others.
Support can be essential in testing times, as isolation can start to take its toll after a while. Turning to a friend who understands and addresses thoughts with an empathic and caring mindset can be the remedy for an exceptionally bad day. It can be important to bear in mind that you might one day be in a position that demands the need for a compassionate listener, which can be easily found for those who practice an altruistic outlook.
To Help You to Strive to Make a Difference
Sometimes, it can seem as though a torrent of bad news is the only noise around. In this regard, it is worth thinking about the many uplifting stories from recent years that detail the efforts of like-minded individuals and organizations around the world.
Wanting to make a positive difference is completely natural and one that is certainly achievable in many capacities. You might want to consider making a monetary donation to a trusted and hard-working charity in order to show your support. You could even think about donating clothes and food to those who are struggling with the essentials of everyday life.
To Increase Your Personal Happiness
It has been hypothesized that practicing altruism is directly correlated with a rise in one’s own happiness.
Developing your personal happiness can be greatly important to ensuring your quality of life at a time when the familiar activities of a lifestyle become increasingly difficult to maintain. Looking for new ways to fill your days has the potential to become trivial at times, which can lead to a sense of disillusionment.
Practicing altruism and getting involved in your community is a great way to rekindle a sense of purpose and often, to greatly increase your happiness on a regular basis.
To Eliminate Feelings of Negativity
By creating a home environment of altruism and generosity, you may be able to start eliminating negative feelings such as unwanted stress and feelings of hopelessness. In helping others, you can potentially develop a positive perspective for yourself and your family in these uncertain times.
I live in a small Georgia town that you most likely have never heard of and I LOVE it! My house is more than full as I am a single mother of four & caregiver to my aging mother and uncle. Lover of all things Outlander. Goes to the beat of her own drum woman.
Monica McConnell says
I only wish more people believed in this practice. So many people are so selfish and lack empathy and compassion for their fellow humans
Adriane says
Wonderful article! Empathy and altruism can bring us together in joy.
heather says
I really enjoyed reading this one and it is so true. I feel so good when I volunteer and when I donate to those in need. I also love helping local animals sanctuaries and shelters.