Coping Strategy #6: Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time
Life gives us countless opportunities to connect with others, spread kindness, and feel a sense of purpose. A smile at a stranger. A warm hug to a loved one. Helping a neighbor with their yard. Volunteering at the local pet shelter. These small acts remind us that everyone has value and that even the tiniest gesture can ripple out in powerful ways.
But here’s the catch: doing the right thing at the right time doesn’t mean forgetting about you.
The Balance Between Giving and Avoiding
It’s easy to use helping others as a way to avoid dealing with our own struggles. Maybe you feel like your purpose is to serve everyone around you. Maybe helping others distracts you from the stress or pain you’re holding inside.
The truth is: while helping others can be healing, it doesn’t erase your own problems. If you pour all your time and energy into everyone else, you risk neglecting yourself — and your problems won’t go away until you face them.
Acts of kindness are powerful, but they should never become an excuse to avoid the deep-rooted issues that need your attention.
Why It Works (When Balanced)
When practiced with balance, this coping skill is an incredible tool:
- It connects you to something positive.
- It reminds you of the good within yourself.
- It builds community and strengthens bonds.
- It brings joy back to you — often in unexpected ways.
Think of it as planting seeds. A smile, a kind word, a small gesture. Over time, those seeds grow into positive connections that make life lighter and more meaningful.
Final Thoughts
The key to Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time is remembering the time part. Don’t lose yourself trying to save everyone else. Focus on spreading kindness in simple, meaningful ways, while also saving enough love, time, and energy for yourself.
Because when you balance helping others with helping yourself, you’re building resilience. That balance is confidence. And you’re already beautiful.
What’s one small way you can “do the right thing at the right time” today — for someone else, and for yourself? Share it in the comments — your action might inspire another mom to do the same.
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