Just about everyone wants to do the best they can to make the lives of their loved ones better and more prosperous and joyful, and -- more than that -- many people feel an active urge, or calling, to try and help others overcome their particular trials and tribulations. But it’s one thing to have the best intentions at heart, and it’s another thing to actually conduct yourself in a way that has a positive impact on others – least of all, that actively solves their particular problems. All too often, it seems to be the case that these good intentions end up backfiring. Actually helping your loved ones out, and taking care of them, generally requires a much more hands-off approach, and a good deal more thought and care, than we might think. So, here are a few responsible and straightforward tips to keep in mind.
Take care of yourself
It’s great that there are services such as Philips Trust that are easily accessible these days, which can help us to arrange and manage things such as our last will and testament, and so on. But, ask the overwhelming majority of people whether they would prefer a loved one of theirs to stay healthy, or to leave them a decent nest egg, and they will instantly reply in favour of the first option.Taking care of yourself is often one of the best ways of taking care of those you care about simultaneously – not only in the sense that you will likely be around for them for longer, but also in the sense that you will be your “best you” if you are healthy, happy, and secure. In other words, you’ll be more uplifting to be around, you’ll set a better example, and more.
Do your duty, and avoid the temptation to take the lazy way out of situations
The term “duty” isn’t as popular as it used to be, and it’s now often cast as being some kind of a cruel imposition on our personal choice and freedom. Of course, not all forms of “duty” are equal, or necessarily good – but, we can all think of things in our lives that we know we should be doing, regardless of whether we really want to or not. Whether it means being there for a loved one in need when you’d rather be at a party, or working consistently to pay the bills day in and day out, doing your duty can make life better for everyone around you. Taking the easy way out of situations often does the opposite.
Be a good listener, instead of always trying to have a smart answer
When people come to you with serious questions and pressing issues on their minds, it’s useful to realise that they are not always actually looking for you to solve their problem for them, or even to give them brilliant answers. In fact, we all often use conversations with our loved ones simply as a way of expressing and working through our own thoughts by putting them into speech and considering them out loud. If you constantly try to solve every problem and have the final word whenever someone close to you comes to you with an issue to discuss, you might be doing them more of a disservice than anything. Focus first and foremost on being a good listener, rather than on always being right
