“You make a living by what you get, you make a life by what you give” – Winston Churchill
Photo by Anna Earl on Unsplash
To be a volunteer means giving your time, skills, and resources to others without having financial attachments. The most obvious benefit of volunteering is the feeling of fulfillment when giving back to society at large. Volunteering is a love language, an act of service to the community.
The world we live in is a bunch of massive case studies disguised as different problems like environmental or humanitarian issues. Not one problem can be solved by one person alone.
The Act of Volunteering
Understandably, as priorities pile up, volunteer work can be easily put off. Human as we are, we also have our own individual priorities, responsibilities, and issues. We don’t equally have the time, resources that would allow us the privilege of joining selfless missions. However, when we have the chance to do so, it might be more life-changing than we would have expected.
The act of volunteering can impart a shift in our perspective, get us more connected with the people, the environment and we become less fixated with the usual stresses of daily life. Volunteering is one of the most powerful ways to make a difference, to help others, and in hindsight, to enhance our wellbeing.
Benefits of Volunteering
Learn more about the remarkable benefits of volunteering and how it is an opportunity to re-discover life and its purpose.
Increases your social and relationship skills
One of the long-term effects of volunteering is engaging with other people which allows you to build closer relationships, better connections. Volunteers are usually people from different social networks, different upbringings, different views. Volunteering will allow you to expand your understanding of people, their cultures, and their way of life. At the same time, it will raise awareness of societal issues, communities, and various social barriers. All these will allow you to have your own individual perspective, naturally increase your social flexibility and teach you empathy, solidarity, and team spirit.
Learn new skills
Just like your extracurriculars, you might discover your hidden talents while joining a volunteer program. Most often, volunteers are understaffed, and so when you are a volunteer, you get to wear different hats, allowing you to immerse yourself in a different environment, skill, or communication. Enjoy the process!
Improves Self-esteem
The more opportunities for new skills, the more we see the impact of the work created, the more we feel fulfilled. Research shows that volunteering helps increase self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social connectedness. When you are doing good for others, and the community, it naturally gives you a sense of accomplishment, pride, and identity.
Photo by Church of the King on Unsplash
Gain a sense of purpose
Many people struggle to think about their purpose in life, their role in the world, or whether their jobs are having an impact. Our jobs don’t always align with our vision. Like hobbies, volunteering allows us to play with our passion, supporting a cause that we identify with and believe in.
Volunteering enriching our social connections, and becoming more confident about the skills learned along the way. Researchers posit that volunteering motivates an individual to have a broader purpose and role starting from a community.
Using skills for a communal impact, volunteering diverts one’s attention from personal stress, insecurity, depression, or other mental health issues.
Promotes Physical and Mental Health
Many volunteer programs allow you to be involved in physical activities. These can be a great alternative to a routinary gym exercise especially if you are not into this type of exercise. According to a recent study from Carnegie Mellon University, people who volunteer regularly are less likely to develop high blood pressure than non-volunteers.
The modern world can leave us anxious, overburdened, depressed, and lonely. One of the most common mental health problems is depression, and its key risk factor is social isolation. Volunteering is seldom a solo mission. It gives people the opportunity to socialize, be part of a mission, and become well rounded individuals.
Helping someone without expecting monetary gain is a beautiful experience. Get started on your volunteer journey.
