This podcast episode features a conversation about homelessness, depression, and the therapeutic power of helping others. A guest recounts falling from privilege to living in a car, being mentored into performing a weekly "random act of kindness," and how that practice helped them cope with depression and the death of their mother. The hosts reflect that living a life of service can help individuals solve their own problems.
So these narratives that people who don't deal with homelessness, other than seeing it and having it be a nuisance in our lives, you know, there's a narrative that we have. And when I heard your story of somebody who came from wealth, who was a trust fund baby and then had nothing and was now living with her mother and three dogs in a car, it's that story. You're living a good life, and life happens around you. We saw it happen with lockdown, like, we're all fine, and then all of a sudden, the world is completely different.
I had someone reach out a hand and help me up. And he also mentored me in a way, because I come from a long line of manic depressives and I have depression. And he was very big about when people got into the program to do one random act of kindness. He didn't require anything else during the week except find a job, but one random act of kindness to help someone in some way, really look at them. And this is not just giving them a sandwich you don't want or the rest of your coffee or a water bottle. This is listening to them. Something that takes something out of yourself. And that's what he drew out of me. And I discovered my mother and myself, which surprised me. But what he taught me was he saved my life, Simon. He gave me the focus so that I was not depressed when my mother died. He gave me tools to use that uniquely fit me, that I could help people and help myself at the same time.
There it is. This, to me, is the insight on all of this, which is, you are more likely to help yourself solve your problem when you live a life of service and helping other people solve.
