Today I helped a friend realize that they’re generally a helpful person on a daily basis already, and that going “above and beyond” is not necessary to check off their daily help goal. Taking care of your family counts. Taking care of people you work with counts.

I offered that when people explicitly ask for help and you’re already busy, it’s okay to say no without any feelings of guilt. When someone already has a full and busy life with family, work, hobbies, and other projects, saying no to one way of helping allows us be able to more intentionally direct and focus our energy into ways that may be even more helpful.

I think when it all boils down, no one owes us anything, and none of us really owe anyone else (except for that loan shark you borrowed from to feed your chocoholic habit. Pay that guy ASAP and reevaluate your willpower.) It’s up to each of us as individuals how and when we do a little extra. So when we do more than the bare minimum when it comes to sharing ourselves, our effort, our time and resources, well that’s more than the world would have otherwise – whether we “owe” it or not. It’s a small way to make things a little better than we found them.