“Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.”
– Anthony Robbins
You don’t have to be rich like Warren Buffet or Bill Gates to make a difference. Millions of ordinary people — people who you pass on the street every day exhibit acts of kindness on a variety of levels (not always monetarily related) that truly does make the world a better place.
Whether you donate money or time, giving back is beneficial and not just for the recipients. Doing good deeds will put you in a positive and happy frame of mind which in turn attracts you to more positive things. There is hard science that proves the old adage, “it’s better to give than to receive.”
FACT: A Gallup survey on volunteering in the U.S.A. found that 52% of volunteers do it because they like doing something useful and helping others. Another 38% said they enjoy doing volunteer work and feeling good about themselves.
Here are 8 Reasons to Give Back:
- Develop new skills.
Gaining skills, knowledge and expertise are common side effects of volunteering. Giving others your time brings you interesting and challenging opportunities that might not come along otherwise. An added plus is how this can boost your resume and visibility if you are seeking a new job. - Make social connections.
Loneliness and boredom are common among many people of all ages and generations. Volunteering or donating your time can relieve this sense of social isolation and help you fill empty hours in the day. Who knows, you may just make some new connections. - Give back to your community.
Doing something for the community you live in and returning the favor to those who have helped you are strong motivators. We all take from the pot of life but rarely do we put back to replenish for others and their needs. Where you live is a community no matter if it’s an apartment, home or anything else under the sun. If you live on this planet, you are most like sharing some resources with others. Provide something in return – it will do your community a world of good. - Develop and grow as a person.
Giving back is an excellent way to explore your likes and dislikes. If you’re interested in a new career, volunteer in the field first to see if you will actually like it. You may find a totally unrelated field is a much better
fit for you, one you’d never consider if you hadn’t volunteered there first. - Gain a new perspective.
Life can be hard and when you’re feeling down, your problems can seem insurmountable. Volunteering of yourself can offer a new perspective—seeing people who are worse off than you are, yet still hanging in there, can help you see your life in a whole new light. - Know that you’re needed.
Feeling needed and appreciated are important, and you may not get that appreciation from your paid work or home life where the things you do are expected or taken for granted. When you volunteer and give back, you realize just how much you are truly needed and the impact you can leave on another person or place. - Boost your self-esteem.
Many volunteers experience a sense of increased self-esteem and greater self-worth. Helping others makes you feel good about yourself, because you’re doing something for someone that they couldn’t do for themselves. - Health Benefits.
Research has shown that the good feelings you experience when helping others may be just as important to your health as exercise and a healthy diet. Besides feeling good about yourself for doing something for others, giving back is also good for your physical health. In a Canadian study, 85% of Ontario volunteers rated their health as “good,” compared to 79% of non-volunteers. Only 2% of volunteers reported “poor” health, one-third the amount of non-volunteers who reported the same health status.
In the end, it doesn’t matter why you give back but rather you take the action to effect the life of another in a positive way. Remember, it doesn’t have to be money to impact another in a positive way. Sometimes a simple and somewhat random act of kindness can go a long way. Start today and be the difference maker in someone else’s day while putting a smile on their face.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi