Volunteering – it isn’t just helping those in need, it is helping you too
When we think of the word ‘volunteering’, we often associate it with helping others. But did you know, volunteering is also helping YOU? While helping others, we are also helping ourselves. Our lives get so busy between working, taking care of families, and just living our daily lives. Sometimes we can begin to feel stuck in the same old routine every week which can lead to a deterioration in our mental wellness. That is where volunteering helps.
How does volunteering help my personal wellness?
Volunteering can help you in a number of different ways. It can bring peace to your mind, knowing that you’re taking time out of your busy lifestyle to help others in need can boost your melatonin, making your mind a better place.
Volunteering and helping others is a great way to reduce stress or anxiety in your everyday life. It can help relax your mind and your body while giving back to the community. It can help to take your mind off of the stresses that you have in your life, giving your mind space to think of other things.
Mental wellness then leads to physical wellness. If your mind is happy, then your body is happy as well. The chemicals in your brain will change when you’re doing something kind for someone else, leaving you with a feeling of satisfaction. Even though you might not be volunteering to help yourself, it just happens to be one of the side effects that come along with it.
The body and the mind have a close connection. You cannot focus on just one and not the other. A lot of the time people think of wellness and think about physical wellness. Of course, this is important, but mental wellness affects physical wellness and vice versa. Volunteering is a good way to achieve overall wellness, helping yourself while helping others.