Life is full of ebbs and flows. Some days you feel like you’ve got everything figured out and other times, you may feel lost and unfulfilled. If you are looking for ways to enrich your life, why not try volunteering in your community? Here are some of the benefits that come with being a volunteer:
Strengthen Your Connection to Your Community
Whether you’ve lived in the same place your whole life or are new to a town, feeling connected to community is important. Becoming a volunteer helps you to get connected and to strengthen your relationship with others in your community.
Volunteering also gives you the opportunity to meet people you may not otherwise meet, and it can be a personal and professional networking experience.
Learn New Skills
Life is all about learning new things, but it’s easy to get stuck in a routine and losing motivation or inspiration to learn new skills. By becoming a volunteer, you may encounter opportunities that encourage (and even force you) to learn new skills.
Thinking Beyond Yourself
You may not consider yourself to be a selfish person, and others may not either. You don’t need to be self-absorbed to benefit from volunteering. Whether you’re mentoring students, tutoring adults, or serving meals at a local food kitchen, you have the chance to put your personal issues aside and focus on others.
Better Health
Believe it or not, volunteering can make you healthier and happier. Research shows that those who volunteer have lower mortality rates and lower rates of depression later in life. Volunteering opportunities often lead to social and physical activity that you may not get otherwise.
Challenge Yourself
If you don’t challenge yourself, life can be pretty predictable and boring. Volunteering can challenge you to try new things and to step out of your comfort zone. When you successfully overcome challenges, whether it’s talking to someone new or using a power tool for the first time, you are likely to feel a major boost in your confidence.
Boosting Your Resume
Trying to find the perfect job or want to be impressive on a college application? Volunteering is a great way to boost your resume, and it shows prospective employers that you are reliable and caring. It can also help you decide if you’re on the right career path.
It’s important, however, that you volunteer for the right reasons; not just with the hopes of making your resume look better.
Add Variety to Your Routine
Even if you consider yourself to be a routine person and enjoy it, volunteering is an excellent way to add a little variety to your daily routine.
A Great Way to Do What You Love
Love to cook in your free time or always wished you would have been a veterinarian? When you volunteer, you have the chance to do something you love. Offer to walk dogs at the local animal shelter or help prepare a meal at the local shelter.
When you choose a volunteering opportunity that you can be passionate about, you are more likely to volunteer long term. As a result, you can build lasting relationships, gain a better understanding, and have strong connections to your community.
