10 Things You Need to do Before You Can Effectively Help Others – Parts 2-5

So to continue… 

2. Study

Learn something new every day. The dictionary is full of words you don’t know. Don’t learn them just to show off, though that’s a nice little bonus.

Play word games to sharpen your mind.
Study astrology; yes it’s a real thing.  People’s signs, actually, often do dictate their behavior and Mercury Retrograde effects people lives. You don’t have to make all your decisions based on the stars but knowing when Mercury is in retrograde might save you from annoying little mishaps, weird but true.

Consider other cultures besides your own.  Try food you’ve never eaten. Check out music and dance videos from around the world.  Music and dance are universal languages. You may have two left feet and a tin ear but you can still appreciate how the rest of the world expresses itself through non-verbal performing arts and no language lessons are required. Expand your views.

Study World History because history does repeat itself so the future will be easier to navigate.
Talk to people younger and older than yourself.  Really study them. They know things you don’t know.
All these things will help you know what other people experience. The more knowledge you have, the more wisdom you can impart.
You can’t counsel someone if you don’t know much.

3. Meditate

Be centered and present. In a crisis, the person who is the most useful is the calmest person in the room. The best way to do that is to be present with whatever problem arises.
Practice breathing, which is a big part of meditation. You’ll need that skill if something really challenging happens in your life. We’re a zoned out nation, staring into our cell phones, ignoring everything; family, home, work, school, friends, even the road we’re driving on. We’re NOT present. We’re NOT connected. The devices that were created to help us connect with the world, while great at making the world a smaller and more accessible place, have detached us from that very same world in a way no one could see coming. Find a quiet place for 10 minutes every day; no phones, no computers, no TV’s.  Find a focal point or close your eyes, breath gently in and out, count your breath, 4 in and 7 out, and be present. Sit with yourself, because when the time comes to sit with a sick friend or a grieving loved one, you’ll be able to be present in their pain and connect with them as a real human being.
There is no greater feeling than to genuinely connect with someone else.  This applies to joy too. Sharing in someone’s joy is sometimes harder than sharing in their grief. You may have issues with jealousy which makes it hard to share in the joy some of your loved ones, friends, or colleagues are experiencing.  Why aren’t you getting the raise, buying the new car, finding the love of your life?

Meditate. Be present with all the things you have in your life that are good.

There are a lot more things to rejoice about than you might think. If nothing else the simple, joyful, ability to sit and breathe is something to cheer about. Make gratitude a big part of your meditation and when someone needs you to share in their joy, it’ll come like rolling off a log.

It’ll help you stay healthy.  It’s difficult to do things for other people when you’re sick. To be of use could mean you’ll need stamina.

4. Eat Well

Don’t put harmful things in your body. Trade soda for filtered water and be grateful for that water. A surprisingly few people in the world have it.  If you have water at your disposal every day, count yourself among the richest people in the world. Fresh vegetables, organic meats and dairy products cost a bit more but if you can manage to afford them, stop making excuses as to why you can’t. It might mean eating less food but eating good food that has actual nutrients.
American’s don’t really get that. A hamburger that weighs in at less than half a pound is looked down upon. Try eating 4 ounces of grass fed, organic beef.  It might change your perspective and while we are talking about cows, real milk from those happy, well treated, cows is a completely different experience. You’ll never see milk the same way again.

Look into Mindful Eating. Americans don’t eat food, they shovel it. When was the last time you really tasted your food? Try this simple set of tasks. Take 3 deep breaths before you start your meal. Start with a very small bite of food. Bring it up to your nose and smell it first. Put the food in your mouth and put your utensils down. Chew slowly and notice what side of your mouth you chew on. Think about where the food came from, the animal or plant, the people involved in your being able to eat this food. Every 5 or 6 chews, swallow some saliva, not solid food, just saliva and actually notice what you’re tasting. Fresh herbs, spices, the meat or vegetables in your mouth, can you really taste them? Do you taste chemicals? Don’t swallow until you have chewed at last 25 times and when the food is the consistency of applesauce.  Try eating a whole meal this way. If you get into this habit, you’ll eat less, taste more, enjoy more and do your digestive system a world of good.

Avoid fast food. Yes, it tastes good and they give it to in nice paper sacks through a window without even having to get your lazy butt off the car seat but it’s making you weaker and isn’t serving you. Fast food is filled with sugar which makes you happy for about fifteen minutes and then you crash and burn. It doesn’t just come to you fast but you eat if fast and don’t really taste it. Examine how many times you have eaten your fast food in about the same time it took to order it. pull around, pay for it and take the little sack from the smiling kid at the window. You grab the bag, unwrap it and swallow it while driving, hardly taking time to chew. Three minutes to get it, three minutes to eat it. If you ate that same food mindfully, you might never eat fast food again. Try it and see what you actually taste.
Sugar is nobody’s friend except maybe cancer and it’s hiding in everything. 
Look for it on labels and do your best to cut down on it. It’s not your pal. Remember, someday you may be tasked to do something that requires great stamina in order to help someone in need, someone you love.
Be ready.

5. Exercise

This means both your body and your mind – be strong physically and mentally. You don’t need to have the perfect physique or be an exercise junky but do something physical for 10 minutes every day.

A little yoga goes a long way.  Yoga is just breathing with movement. There’s no right or wrong in it and it’s good for your body, mind and spirit all at once.
Take a walk around the block before or after work or around the building or parking lot at lunchtime.
Do fun activities that get you away from the couch or desk.  Hula hoop or roller blade or clean up that rusty bike in the garage. Miniature golfing or walking on the beach is a great way to move and spend time with loved ones too.
Exercise your mind as well. Commit to putting your phone away at meal times so you can talk to the people you eat with.  If you eat alone, take that time to be with yourself and your own thoughts not the ideas of the people on Facebook.
Interact with people whose air space you’re sharing. Join a study group or a book club. Be engaged in real world activities. Instagram and Pinterest and Snap Chat and Periscope are great devices and, yes, they do keep you in contact with the world but they also distance you from human contact. Being around people and sharing thoughts and ideas will keep your mind a lot sharper than you can possibly imagine.