Stephanie Harrison

And in giving, we realize actually we're not alone at all, that other people need us.

And that in turn makes it easier for us to lean on them for the support that we want.

I know that my periods of deepest loneliness came when I wasn't contributing and that my loneliness has been alleviated by showing up more for other people.

And it's that usefulness and that support that we can offer people that paradoxically ends up helping us the most.

It's my little spin on gratitude because at the heart, gratitude is about realizing that

And I know it's hard and scary and can be really uncomfortable, but if you can find a way to do it, even anonymously, like I often counsel people, like go out and see if you can volunteer at your local food bank or if you can do a trash pickup on the beach or wherever it is that you live.

Good things happen to you because of other people, as you so beautifully described.

And this recognition of taking a moment and thinking about who helped me, we tend to take those actions for granted.

Anything where...

I can witness it in myself.

The stakes feel very low.

I have a much easier time because of my brain's negativity bias, thinking about the times that I didn't get help versus the times that I did get help.

Even if that's too much, which I understand for some people, like hold the door for somebody at a coffee shop or pay for the person behind you as you're going through the drive-thru, right?

But the times I got help, way, way, way outnumber all of the times that I didn't get it.

There are all these little ways to give.

And in giving, we realize actually we're not alone at all, that other people need us.

And that's because I'm not looking at it in the right way.

And that in turn makes it easier for us to lean on them for the support that we want.

I'm not thinking about, as you said, the mentor who showed up for me or the boss who helped me to learn a specific skill or my friend who checked in on me when I was having a hard day.

Those are all moments of help.