It's no surprise or secret that volunteering can be a rewarding and gratifying experience. Whether it's at a local animal shelter or a hospital in the city, most volunteers would probably agree with me when I say that you get more out of volunteering than you give.
Aside from the sense of gratitude individuals experience after volunteering, studies have proven that volunteering can also improve both mental and physical health.
Increased self-confidence is a given benefit of volunteering. Individuals who donate their time enjoy a sense of purpose and self-fulfillment. Helping others also maximizes dopamine levels in the brain, resulting in what has been coined the happiness effect.
Not to mention, people who donate their time to others feel more socially connected to those around them. This decreases depression, anxiety and loneliness. Interestingly enough, though, recent studies are beginning to show the physical benefits of volunteering.
Lower blood pressure and a longer lifespan are only two of the many physical rewards of increasing volunteer time. Performing volunteer work frequently increases physical activity in individuals, promoting reduced stress and better cardiovascular health.
As far as life longevity goes, a study in the journal "Health Psychology" indicated that participants with high volunteer hours were more likely to live longer lives. However, this was the case only if the volunteers' intentions were genuine.
Needless to say, then, individuals who decide to volunteers should not do it for the health benefits or to feel better about themselves. Rather, volunteering is something that should come from the heart because of an interest to help others.
Volunteering may also give individuals the opportunity to travel to other countries and immerse themselves in another culture. Experiencing what it is like to volunteer in another nation provides individuals with a sense of adventurism and encourages those persons to try new things they would not have thought of otherwise.
Even if it is just for a few hours out of the week, the benefits exceed the costs when it comes to something as simple as volunteering. Encouraging others to be the best that they can be and putting a smile on someone's face are simple tasks.
This summer, give volunteering a try. It might even be fun to bring a friend along. In the words of Ronal Reagan, "we can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone."
