Helping Others Can Be Spiritually Moving

Spirituality is the belief in something more than just your own self. It is a worldview that suggests that something greater connects you to the rest of the universe. For some it is faith in a divine being, for others it is a connection with other people or with nature.

For many people spirituality is something that is achieved through meditation and going on retreats but for others spirituality can be found in the desire to live a meaningful life and one filled with purpose, according to The Greater Good Science Center. That is why helping others can be a profoundly spiritual experience.

Promotes a sense of meaning
There is a difference between hedonic wellbeing – a sense of happiness – and eudaimonic wellbeing – a sense of meaning and purpose – and psychologists have long suspected that helping others is vitally important in developing a sense of meaning.

A study conducted by Roy Baumeister at Florida State University looked at the difference between happiness and meaning. After surveying 300 participants, the researchers found that  strong social connections were important for both but only helping others was related to living a life of meaning.

 If you want to live a more meaningful life, start small because even small acts of kindness can be beneficial to the person you help as well as to yourself. Make your helping count, and take time to express gratitude, according to a blog from the Skylight organization. All of these will give your life purpose and increase your spirituality.

Deepens happiness
When you give something to others by performing an act of kindness or good deed, this will increase your own happiness and wellbeing. In fact, people are much happier to give than to receive.

But helping others does more than just make you happier, it also makes you feel better. A  2022 study from The Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness involved 60,000 people from 144 countries. The study defined kindness as an act which is done to help others. The study revealed that people who did acts of kindness had increased levels of wellbeing.

Boosts self-esteem and confidence
One of the spiritual benefits of helping others is that doing good enhances you self-esteem and your confidence in yourself, according to verywell mind. When you believe something negative about yourself, like you are not worthy of happiness or success, it can become a self- prophecy. Likewise, if you believe you are worthy, you will strive to make it happen. Having self-esteem and a positive mindset will allow you to tap into your spirituality by helping others and will also enable you to live a life of purpose.