4 Ways to Help Others Without Burning Yourself out
“The more I thought about it, the more distraught I became. Who am I to have so much when others have so little?”
Is anyone else feeling overwhelmed by statistics, headlines, and confirmed case counts? It didn’t take me long to get there. I can only handle so much bad news before I start feeling numb. I don’t have the mental or emotional capacity to process every single update. I haven’t been in my host country long enough to know the reliable news sources and I can’t sift through the word-of-mouth news to determine what’s just a rumor (or translate it, for that matter).
This is a serious situation. Everyone is concerned about their loved ones. We have all been affected by this virus in some way. When my company informed us of a potential country-wide lockdown, we stocked up on food and diapers. We have the resources to be able to do that without a second thought. My family has a reliable income, but even if that goes away, we have savings. We will be okay. Then I started thinking about my neighbors. They don’t have the resources to save. They go to work, get paid, and eat. Rinse and repeat. I just stocked my cabinets full of food, and my neighbors might not eat tomorrow.
I’ve seen poverty before. No matter where you live in the world, you don’t have to look very far to find it, right? Usually though, when I see it, I feel a twinge of sympathy and then I go on my way. But this time is different. These are my neighbors. I can’t isolate in my house with a steady paycheck and three full meals a day knowing the father down the street could be wondering how he’s going to provide one meal for his family.
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The more I thought about it, the more distraught I became. Who am I to have so much when others have so little? I kept spiraling downward, so my husband suggested I reach out to a friend for help. She offered some good insights on how to think about living in this tension and how to move forward. I’ll share them with you in case you’re in a similar boat.
Turn your shame or guilt into thankfulness.
We didn’t do anything wrong by stocking up on food, so we don’t need to feel ashamed or guilty. We were obeying leadership and being wise. Instead, we should be thankful for the ability and resources to do so. Give thanks for what you have, but don’t stop there.
How can we use what we have to serve others?
We have a car and food and money. We should be thankful for that, but not selfish with it. Instead we should ask how can we use our resources to help our community. Can we buy some rice for the next-door neighbors? Can we give someone a ride if they don’t have money for gas? Can we give the delivery guy a big tip? What resources do you have that you can share? Maybe you don’t have a lot of money to spare, but you can call and check on the people. Maybe you have extra time and can pick up groceries for the mom who just had a baby. Have your kids make cards for hospital patients. If you’re unsure what is culturally appropriate, ask a local friend, a teammate with more experience, or a language tutor for help.
What do I have the power to do?
We know that one person can’t change the world, but maybe I can change one person’s world. As much as I want to help every single person, it’s just not practical. I need to think about it on a much smaller scale. What can I do? My language teacher encouraged me to find someone who I know has been affected by the pandemic and help them. Ask your landlord or neighborhood leader who in your community needs help if you don’t know. You don’t have to do something extravagant. It can be a small thing that meets someone’s need. A bag of rice or a word of encouragement could go a long way.
Whatever you do can be just for a time.
Helping people is a good thing and our eyes should always be open to opportunities to love our neighbors, but just because you start helping in a particular way does not mean you’re committing to do it until the end of time. No matter how it feels now, this pandemic will not last forever. One day, jobs will be restored and we won’t have to wear a mask to buy groceries. For the time being though, how can we help those around us?
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This is how I’m choosing to think about the situation at hand. But these ideas are not specific to a global pandemic. We can use them any time we’re feeling overwhelmed by the need around us.
How are you processing the never-ending news stories? Are you feeling overwhelmed by the need around you? What other ideas do you have of ways to help?
