I’m a volunteer…How proud does that sound to you? In today’s world which is characterized by a culture of self-interest and personal gain, a simple act of kindness is like finding a pot of gold. If you’ve just came back home from screening an excellent and touching movie of Marc Foster’s “White Bird” you might have had your heart moved towards appreciating the incredible acts of courage and compassion portrayed in that very movie. Yet I’ve also asked myself this… does humanity really need the dark times of war and violence to show kindness to one another? To show compassion and empathy? To help another human who has lost his or her path?
I’ve started to believe that the act of helping others is a long forgotten skill. Is today’s indifference to the suffering of the poor and underprivileged a main domain of the human kind around the globe? Why don’t we seem to remember that the true gift of helping others lies not just in the tangible benefits it brings to those in need, but also in the profound impact it has on the giver?
Whether through small acts of kindness or larger philanthropic endeavors, helping others is not just an act of kindness but also a source of joy and satisfaction. When we help others, we make a positive impact on their lives, and it also makes us feel good about ourselves. It could be as simple as lending a helping hand to someone who needs it or donating to a charity. Trust me – been there, done that. I’ve volunteered for years supporting local charities, older members of my community or the youngest helping them do their homework. And through my own work I’ve learnt a lot of things about myself and other people.
I’ve learnt that helping others strengthens my own sense of community and belonging. When I help my neighbors or people in the community, it brings us all closer together. It builds trust and goodwill between us, which is essential for a peaceful and harmonious society. I’ve noticed when I help others, I’m also setting a good example for others to follow. Moreover, helping others had also a positive impact on my mental health. I feel connected and appreciated, seen and loved by those around me. That gives a huge boost to my own confidence. My neighbors seem to be reacting to my offers of help through giving me a sense of fulfillment.
I’ve been volunteering for years. Taking part in local charity events, working at the local community centre, volunteering at music festivals and helping at refugee centers – it helped me to understand that through helping I can actually have a direct impact on the lives of other people and I can give back to the world. I realized that through small gestures and a bit of an effort I can make a difference and in fact help build a better environment for me and my family.
I also need to mention my personal gains of being a local helping hand. Volunteering gave me and immense boost to my confidence and aided my personal growth. I feel connected to my community, gained valuable experience and met a lot of people I wouldn’t have met otherwise. Interacting with people of different backgrounds I’ve broadened my perspective of the world and in fact it helped me to feel like a true citizen of my country and a valuable asset to my little local area. Working as a part of a team helped me to develop my leadership and problem – solving skills which I might add – helped me to start this blogging adventure. I’m a giver and a fixer – I find solutions and execute them in a way better manner – I learnt it all throughout the years of working with people and for people.
There is something deeply rewarding about knowing I’ve made a positive impact – even by making someone’s day better or making them smile. Helping out my family, friends, people in need, local community members simply makes me feel good and the sense of satisfaction that comes from volunteering is priceless. I’ve also met a lot of like-minded people for whom the needs of others are not unimportant. Over the years we’ve created unbreakable bonds and friendships that keep my social life active and fun. Through being engaged in smaller and bigger act of kindness I’ve also done a great deal of work on my mental health and physical condition. My volunteering tasks helped me combat my feelings of loneliness and anxiety and boosted my low self-esteem which ultimately led me to a good place I am at today.
I’ve just wanted to help you understand that becoming a volunteer and helping others has been the lesson of my life. I’ve developed in ways I wouldn’t imagine before and learnt things that I’m using up to this day. I met people who became my best friends and that I can rely on in my own difficult times. Volunteering is a truly rewarding and meaningful experience that I highly recommend exploring.
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