To help others you must first help yourself.
By megamatt
@megamatt (14291)
United States
March 25, 2011 11:54am CST
I think in many ways, it is simple human nature to want to help others. However, how helpful are we really when we are in a bad place in our life? I mean, is our help really that credible when we are going through something that we can't get ourselves out of? We might not be able to help others, if we get in such a bad situation ourselves. There are times where we can extend the hand of friendship, but there are other times where its just time to look out for the person we look at in the mirror.
2 people like this
7 responses
@00BleedingShadow00 (784)
• Philippines
25 Mar 11
Well, it depends on the situation. There are some instances that you have to help others to help yourself. 
1 person likes this
@megamatt (14291)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Perhaps indeed, but perhaps not. There is really no way to really help others, when you are in such a hole that you can't dig yourself out. If you are trapped underneath multiple things, and someone is hanging for their life, surely, you can't really save them, due to the fact that they are going to? Then again, there are times where should your situation become bad, a good person would return the favor. Then again, the only thing certain is nothing is for certain. Thanks for responding. Its appreciated. Have a nice day.
@sender621 (14893)
• United States
26 Mar 11
I believe that you must be able to help yourself before you can help others. If you can't help yourself first, what can you expect to offer to another person. You must search your own soul before you can be of benefit to anyone else.@megamatt (14291)
• United States
27 Mar 11
Indeed, we can't really offer other people anything. Or anything that really might do them any good. It is a frustrating little quirk of life unfortunately. There are a lot of times where we feel obligated but really the person that is struggling is ourselves. Therefore, we are going to have a lot of trouble trying to find away out of that hole that we are dug in. Thanks for responding. It is appreciated. Have a nice day.
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
26 Mar 11
Yeah that is my thought also. I can certainly help and share but how would I be of help to anyone if I am dying in the process. I can certainly share my last crumb and both of us die or I can give a nip of my food, still have the energy and perhaps later I can help with more.
I can also help and research on ways how the person can also help themselves, because in the process of that I too could learn ways of helping me too. Good point!
@megamatt (14291)
• United States
27 Mar 11
Pretty much the direction I was going to. The thing is, most people, they do have the instincts to help others, because it is the right thing to do. However, there are instances where we might not be in the right state to help, therefore, we are going to harm both of us even more. That is in many ways worse than not helping at all. Everything in life is not as clear cut and black and white as many people would like to think. There are situations that what appears to be a tactic to put ourselves ahead, is really putting ourselves in a better position to help. Thanks for responding. Its appreciated. Have a nice day.
@katie0 (5203)
• Japan
26 Mar 11
When we don't love our selves we feel like someone else should give us this, when we are not good to our selves we want someone to protect us...That's one of the biggest truths in the laws of the universe, we must give to us first, be whole so we can love, give, help...
@polaris77 (2039)
• Bacau, Romania
25 Mar 11
There are situations in life when we can help others and there might be situations when we are helpless and need support from other people;no matter how preparted we are or how much knowledge we have,life is so unpredictable that it can put us in such a weird situation.Anyway,I think that we find ourselves in a situation in which we have to help others it is our duty at least to try to do it,even if,as you say,sometimes we can't help ourselves.It is better to try than just do nothing.
@megamatt (14291)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Yes we could end up somehow helping someone. Or we could make the situation a bit worse on both ourselves and the other party. See that is one of the frustrating things when you think about it. You don't really know how bad off you might be, until your attempts to help are misfired and you realize that you need to pull yourself out of the hole. Thanks for responding. Its appreciated. Have a nice day.
@abuomararman (23)
• India
26 Mar 11
when any body raises the issue of help I become scared. I have been cheated by my bosom friends in the name of help. If you help the suffering humanity it is not a help it is a duty as a human being.
@megamatt (14291)
• United States
27 Mar 11
The thing is that even if it should be a duty, it should not feel like one. That's the problem, if we bend over backwards, we are going to really be doing a disservice to both parties, especially when the person needing help is the one that is looking back at us in the mirror. Of course, we are the last people who think that we need help a lot of the time but we are quick to realize that other people do need help when they need it. Thanks for responding. Its appreciated. Have a nice day.
