How Serving Others Serves You

Happy Community Service Awareness Month! A month dedicated to strengthening your communities by helping one or more organizations that inspire you.  Giving back and being involved in the community not only can look good on your resume, but can also have positive effects on your mental health. I mean think about it…after every time you helped someone else or volunteered in the past how did you feel?  Pretty good right? 

In fact, many people say that they feel an increase in happiness and feel as if they are creating a purpose for themselves.  By volunteering you can find a new meaning or direction in your life.  With this increase of happiness, studies have also shown that there can be a decrease of depressive symptoms and an increase of self-confidence. 

Not only does volunteering have the potential of making you happier, it also can help you meet new people or strengthen relationships that already exist.  If you volunteer at a dog shelter, you meet other people who are also interested in animals, as well.  When we volunteer with others who share similar passions, it can create connections and deepen relationships. If want to get to know someone more or get closer to someone, having a place that we both enjoy and have something to do helps bring you closer (and can take out the awkward silences). 

Finally, volunteering can help you to stay active.  If you choose to help build a house, clean up the side of the road, play with dogs, or run a food drive, you are being physically active in some way or another. Volunteering is good for your health at any age! 

With COVID going on and many people still working from home, it might be nice to get out of the house for a change and do something you enjoy while helping someone else at the same time.So what are you waiting for? Think about what you are interested in, google that place and sign up!

Sydney Redding, LMSW