I’ve met a lot of people who express a desire to help others but feel disheartened by a lack of qualifications. They might talk about wanting to be a psychologist but don’t have the time or resources to complete the intensive training. There’s a question of legitimacy, an implication that some ways of helping are ranked as more valuable than others.
Professions fuel this perception when they advocate for their version of helping over those of other professions. At its worst, it becomes a form of rivalry with competition for status or resources. Or both, since they often come together.
And yet there are so many ways to be helpful. The team of people who made your chair. The hairdresser who listened and gave you a great haircut. The engineers who designed that bridge you drive over and the construction workers who built it The person who stopped to help you pick up something you dropped when your hands were full or gave you a friendly smile as you passed by on the street.
So by all means, follow your dreams to seek new paths. But remember not to underestimate what you have to offer now, in the life you currently live. It’s not so much what you do that is helpful, it’s more how you do it – being present, coming from a place of kindness or generosity, and acting with integrity.
Helen Mentha 