If you’ve ever volunteered, you may have noticed how fulfilled and fantastic you felt afterward. You felt like you truly made a difference and you witnessed firsthand what good a community could accomplish when they come together. Here we’ll share seven benefits of volunteering that will inspire your soul.
When we volunteer, the idea that “one person can change the world,” doesn’t seem too far off. We directly see the impact of our efforts creating change for those who need it most. By giving our time and our resources, believe it or not, we are creating time and resources for those less fortunate than ourselves. We are not their saviors, but we ARE their helping hand in a less than ideal or difficult situation.
For the most part, we do not volunteer because it benefits us, we volunteer because it makes a difference.
But did you know that there are even more benefits to volunteering? Benefits that cause us to notice a subtle shift in our being, that help us feel more connected to one another, that help us become less absorbed in the normal stresses of daily life.
Did you know that when you volunteer, not only are you improving your life, but maybe even your health?
The benefits of volunteering are endless.
1. Want New Friends?
When you volunteer you strengthen your community and your social network. Not only do you make connections with the people you are helping, you create friendships with other volunteers.
2. Tired of your lonesome?
According to The Campaign to End Loneliness, 45% of people in the US and the UK admit to feeling lonely. Loneliness and social isolation are two of the most severe epidemics in the world today. What better way to reverse this than to volunteer? Not only will you be eliminating your own loneliness, but you’re contributing to the betterment of society.
3. Contributes to Emotional Stability
If you suffer from Depression, PTSD, low self-esteem, or OCD, volunteering can help you feel more connected to others. It allows you to gain an increased sense of purpose that can translate to decreased symptoms and improved social function.
4. Helps you stay fit
We live a more sedentary lifestyle than ever before. With less daily movement we are more susceptible to back pain, disease, stress, obesity, and mental illness. You can choose to volunteer for causes or programs that make you more active, such as youth sports or national parks.
5. Better Job Prospects
Civic mindedness has become an asset in the workplace. Including volunteer work on a resume can showcase your skills and reveal an openness to teamwork.
6. Promotes A Long Life
According to The Corporation for National and Community Service, people who volunteer over 100 hours a year are some of the healthiest people in the US! Long life, less disease, better health? Count us in!
7. Adds Fun Substance to Life
Volunteering your time, energy, and resources to people and causes around the world can create change on a global scale. It’s amazing to think that your efforts can change the life of someone else somewhere in the world. However, the most overlooked benefit is that volunteering is actually kind of FUN!
If you want to make friends, improve your physical and mental health, and maybe develop some new skills along the way, it is time to start volunteering! Our nonprofits need YOU. Why would you want to pass up on the chance to not only change someone else’s life but change your own life as well…for the better!
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