🤲 ALTRUISM
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Altruism is the shelter along the trail where you share your provisions—not because you have everything together, but because you know what it’s like to be lost, hungry, or tired. For people with ADHD, helping others can feel like a paradox: how do I support someone else when I’m still learning to support myself? And yet, we do—often instinctively, deeply, and generously.
Living with ADHD often means navigating our own emotional storms. But it also makes us incredibly attuned to the struggles of others. We know what it feels like to be misunderstood, left behind, or overwhelmed—so when we see someone else stuck, we reach out. We lend insight, empathy, or simply presence. And in doing so, we find meaning in our own journey.
Altruism also combats one of ADHD’s most corrosive emotions: shame. When we feel like we’re always falling short, helping someone else can restore our sense of purpose. It reminds us that we don’t need to be perfect to be of value. In fact, our wounds often become the very tools we use to offer compassion.
This value is not about self-sacrifice to the point of burnout. It’s about weaving reciprocity and kindness into the trail—knowing that every act of support strengthens the path for both the giver and the receiver.
🧭 The HOPE Trail Map
- Helps or Harms: Am I helping because it aligns with my values—or to avoid my own pain or shame?
- Own My Values: I want to be someone who uplifts others with what I’ve learned from my own hard climbs.
- People and Pursuits: Who have I helped lately—not just in big ways, but through kindness, listening, or encouragement?
- Enact and Evaluate: Today, I’ll offer help—not out of obligation, but from a place of connection.
⚠️ Trail Challenges
- Emotional depletion and burnout make altruism hard to sustain.
- Low self-worth may convince us we have nothing to offer.
- People-pleasing patterns can confuse altruism with avoidance.
🪧 Trail Markers: Small Steps Toward Altruism
- Share one resource or insight with someone who might benefit.
- Ask a friend how they’re really doing—and listen with your full attention.
- Offer kindness anonymously, expecting nothing in return.
🔥 Campfire Questions for Reflection
- When have I felt most connected to others by helping, not performing?
- What gifts has ADHD given me that I can share with someone else?
- How can I offer care without losing myself?
Altruism is not a detour from the trail—it’s a bridge you build that helps others (and yourself) keep going.
