Did you know that there are actually many health and psychological benefits to volunteering and serving your community? Studies show that helping others can actually help yourself.
With our busy lives and demanding schedule, it can be difficult to find time to volunteer. But even volunteering for just a few hours a week can be beneficial to your overall well-being.
The benefits of volunteering seem to be endless but here is a list of a few benefits you will experience once you start dedicating some of your time to help others.
Some Benefits of Volunteering:
- Decreases loneliness
- Increases socializing
- Reduces stress
- Improves self-esteem
- Gain confidence
- Improves mood
- Increases happiness
- Improves feelings of self-worth
- Learn new skills
- Provides a sense of purpose
- Helps you to get physical
- Make new friends
- Builds connection to others and your community
Do you volunteer or have you thought of volunteering? The benefits are overwhelming. If you are looking for meaning in your life, a way to connect with others, or ways to improve your self-esteem and self-worth, volunteering is a great option.
Humans are social creatures that thrive on connection. We feel our best when we are in service of others and improving the lives of others and sometimes the best way to do that is with our time.
The great thing about volunteering is that there are endless opportunities. You will surely find an area you are interested in or passionate about. And you might even find a passion you didn’t know you had!
Volunteer ideas:
- Lead a community clean up
- Join a beach or national park cleanup
- Read to children
- Spend time with the elderly
- Walk dogs or play with cats at an animal shelter
- Donate old clothing
- Write to residents at a nursing home
- Tutor
- Volunteer in hospice
- Run errands and do chores for the elderly
- Donate to the homeless
- Work at a soup kitchen
- Collect backpacks and supplies for low-income schools
Those are just a few ideas. You can check out more options at Volunteer Match.
I have been volunteering with animals shelters on and off for years now and I absolutely love it. Some of my best memories come from my time spent in the shelters. I felt happy and relaxed and connected to the other volunteers, the staff, as well as people coming in looking to adopt. It also helped me to have a sense of importance and value. I felt needed and helpful and of course, I received endless unconditional love from the kitties.
If you are looking for some way to add meaning or value into your life, then I highly recommend you volunteer a few hours each week. It can truly be life changing.