I’ve been encountering the term ‘self-care’ a lot lately. People seem especially preoccupied these days with seeing to their own needs. This concern encompasses numerous dimensions: physical, emotional, spiritual. There’s nothing wrong with this. These are trying times, and who better than you to make sure your needs are being met? I’m certainly part of this trend—just ask my wife. She’ll tell you that I’ve been indulging myself a bit more than usual recently. That said, a focus on taking care of yourself has its limits. While attending to your own needs is certainly important, it’s only half of the task. Because, if you really want to fully care for yourself, you must orient your efforts towards others.
The good news is that, right now, there’s no shortage of people who desperately need your help. So many are isolated, lonely and anxious. So many more are in financial distress. If you direct time, attention and other resources towards their challenges, not only will it help them, it will help you as well. Some specific things you could do:
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Contribute to your local food bank.
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Check in on your neighbors who are particularly vulnerable. Do they need groceries? Is their recycling brought to the curb? Are prescriptions they need being picked up?
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How about the small businesses in your town? In addition to patronizing them to the extent you can, would they benefit from your expertise as a marketer or researcher?
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And don’t underestimate the value of just writing a check. A lot of service organizations really need that more than anything else.
John Donne was correct nearly 400 years ago – none of us is an island. We’re all connected, all a part of a greater whole. Another person’s happiness or suffering is also yours. The true path to well-being lies in focusing yourself on the needs of your fellow humans. Because there’s more to who you are than just you. Fully caring for yourself requires taking care of others.