WHY WE HELP OTHERS AND HOW IT HELPS US?
“Part of being a person is helping others”
-Regis Murayi
When we extend a helping hands to uplift others we uplift our heart. You know what I am talking about. It is that ‘feel good’ emotion.
That emotion actually has got a name. It’s called the Helper’s high.
Helping others is a good deed, and every one does it to make this world a better place. However, we also do it because it makes our life mean something.
A few days ago I was reading about Self determination Theory. This theory answers the question- “What motivates us?”. So, on basis of that theory lets see what motivates us too help others and why is feels good.
(Lets get a little psychological….)
The motivation to help
There are 3 reasons that motivate us to do anything… which includes helping others.
- Sense of competence
- Sense of Autonomy
- Sense of relatedness
These 3 things when combined motivate us.
When we are able to help others and help to uplift them it makes us feel competent. It makes us feel that we like we can make a difference in the world. that feeling of competence motivates us to keep moving forward.
When we help others of our own free will, without any external force governing us we feel that we are own masters. It gives us a sense of security and strength.
When we help someone our sense of being related to them is fed. if you look closely what ever humans do, is to feel related to others. When we help others it makes us related to a higher world order where every one is related to one other, where the whole world is a single unit of family.
When you combine these 3 reasons you get an understanding of why people are motivated to help.
This sense of motivation and upliftment gives us a feeling of being high.
The Benefits of being helpful
We know that helping others help us too.
Lets see how.
Read the article below to read about the how being helpful helps us psychologically
On an ending note, It doesn’t matter what you ae helping others for. even if it makes you feel good, the simple act to putting others before you is an act of humanity.
So, what ever is going in the the world right now, we need more people who are willing to lift others up. Such people are a proof that humanity exists and that humans are capable of kindness and love. In this time of distress I encourage you all to take a step forward now and help those who need it.
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