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Have you joined the deep wave of grassroots giving back that is certainly taking over our nation. There's a swarm of individuals across all ages that are volunteering with a level never seen before. However, giving back doesn't mean that you receive nothing in return. If you even help others out for a day, it may possibly rejuvenate us in such a way that another margarita-soaked vacation, more things, a fatter resume, or a supersized house can't even begin to do.
Human beings want and need to feel useful and have meaning and purpose in our lives. When we give back, it gives us that meaning and purpose. We need this to feel alive, inspired, and motivated. There are many different ways that giving back to others actually benefits you - from finding your true calling to improving your health to even boosting the overall sense of joy and satisfaction you feel on a daily basis.
Giving back is really a way to reduce your own anxiety and depression levels. It helps other folks reach for a better day and a better way of doing things, but the most delightful result is that volunteering helps the volunteer reach greater states of happiness and optimism. There is such a thing as the "helper's high." This is a sense of optimism, usefulness, and purpose which can make your brooding thoughts disappear and clear out any cobwebs in your mind. Why? For one thing, giving back takes you out of yourself and fixating on your problems and pushes you to feeling empowered and confident about making a positive change.
You can even track the neural "glow" from helping others and volunteering with MRI scans. At Boston College, researchers found that pain, depression, and disability in chronic pain patients decreased after volunteering. Another study also showed precise which areas in the brain are affected and that volunteering eases depression.
That can take us back to where we started . . . with the idea of how giving back can assist you find your true calling. Not only that, but people who volunteer are resourceful, creative - and have excellent stamina on the job. An international tax partner for PricewaterhouseCoopers named Oren Penn spent eight weeks on a corporate service fellowship improving health in a rural Indian community. He worked with colleagues from the Netherlands and Mexico to ease severe poverty and unsafe health conditions in the ignored community of "untouchables." Oren found that working as a strong and effective team in Orissa made him a better team member and team leader back home. The skills and perspective he gained from this experience are invaluable.
There are a number of other good reasons why giving back is such a great thing to do in this economy and anytime. We've touched on a few, but why not start volunteering for something yourself so you can experience the benefits first-hand. It's easy to find any number of organizations which would like some help and the benefits you reap for yourself will last a lifetime.
Human beings want and need to feel useful and have meaning and purpose in our lives. When we give back, it gives us that meaning and purpose. We need this to feel alive, inspired, and motivated. There are many different ways that giving back to others actually benefits you - from finding your true calling to improving your health to even boosting the overall sense of joy and satisfaction you feel on a daily basis.
Giving back is really a way to reduce your own anxiety and depression levels. It helps other folks reach for a better day and a better way of doing things, but the most delightful result is that volunteering helps the volunteer reach greater states of happiness and optimism. There is such a thing as the "helper's high." This is a sense of optimism, usefulness, and purpose which can make your brooding thoughts disappear and clear out any cobwebs in your mind. Why? For one thing, giving back takes you out of yourself and fixating on your problems and pushes you to feeling empowered and confident about making a positive change.
You can even track the neural "glow" from helping others and volunteering with MRI scans. At Boston College, researchers found that pain, depression, and disability in chronic pain patients decreased after volunteering. Another study also showed precise which areas in the brain are affected and that volunteering eases depression.
That can take us back to where we started . . . with the idea of how giving back can assist you find your true calling. Not only that, but people who volunteer are resourceful, creative - and have excellent stamina on the job. An international tax partner for PricewaterhouseCoopers named Oren Penn spent eight weeks on a corporate service fellowship improving health in a rural Indian community. He worked with colleagues from the Netherlands and Mexico to ease severe poverty and unsafe health conditions in the ignored community of "untouchables." Oren found that working as a strong and effective team in Orissa made him a better team member and team leader back home. The skills and perspective he gained from this experience are invaluable.
There are a number of other good reasons why giving back is such a great thing to do in this economy and anytime. We've touched on a few, but why not start volunteering for something yourself so you can experience the benefits first-hand. It's easy to find any number of organizations which would like some help and the benefits you reap for yourself will last a lifetime.
About the Author:
Jay LawLor is an Episcopal priest who believes that Christian people have a fundamental duty to help one another, and people should do what they can to help one another improve in life and succeed. Jay Lawlor is passionate about giving back to the community and helping people in need.
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