Need for Contribution

I sometimes think of "contribution" as a bridge into the needs of others. We sometimes just genuinely wants to make life wonderful for others but we are terrified that we do not know how. What if we get it wrong? What if we try to make life wonderful for them but end up just making things worse? It can sometimes leave us paralyzed at the prospect. Nevertheless, our basic human need for contribution I find among the most obviously beautiful needs we have.

Strategies:

Listen

Listen to someone speak and before you answer, try to get in touch with their underlying need first. Often I find when the help I offer doesn't *actually help* my need for contribution is frustrated. Try to avoid offering help until it's be explicitly requested. Instead, listen for their underlying need and try to connect to that.

Share your strategies!

No one likes unsolicited advise (unfortunately), but you can share your strategies here for others to find when they are looking for them ;) It would make our lives so much more wonderful if you did!

Play a video game

There is such a wide diversity of video games out there. Calming exploratory games, puzzle games, combat, story, single or multiplayer, etc. Once I get in touch with the need that is alive in me it’s fun to look for a game or game genre that might tend specifically to that.

Request a clear request

Consider asking someone to share a vulnerable and specific request with you? Call a friend or loved one and vulnerably share that you really are just wanting to make life wonderful for them but you're unsure how. Make clear that you are looking for requests that leave out all ambiguity. Ask if they would share what needs are alive in them and imagine ways you could contribute to *one* of them.

Charity work

Consider looking for charity work in your area. Find a soup kitchen for the homeless or a local nonprofit doing work you believe in. Even just walking along picking up trash truly does make life more wonderful for your entire community - even if only in some small and sacred way.

Have A Suggetsion?

Please email info@giraffeears.org to share any strategies we could add