It’s a new year. A new you. A time to start something new.
Have you considered volunteering? It’s well worth the time, energy, and effort. And the benefits are enormous! You make a difference in your community, which completely changes your life.
So if you’re on the fence about volunteering, here are 16 benefits to offering your time and talents to others.
Benefits of Volunteering
- Benefit Your Community: A great way to add value to your community and improve the way of life for those around you.
- Combat Loneliness: You get to feel a connection with other people instead of disengaging from others.
- Make New Friends: Meet new people and start new relationships with others. Who knows what sort of people you’ll meet!
- Network for Better Job Prospects: You could make some key friendships to help you take your career to the next level.
- Improve Your Social Skills: You’ll learn how to better socialize and connect with people from all walks of life.
- Bond with Friends and Family: Volunteer with your friends and family and you’ll grow closer together through the experience.
- Counteract Stress and Anxiety: Volunteering expands your perspective on life and shows you that some things don’t require stressing out about.
- Combat Depression: Look outside your own world and see how others live. You’ll be inspired and encouraged.
- Increase Confidence: As you venture outside your comfort zone, new challenges can really build your determination and boost your self-esteem.
- Learn Valuable Job Skills: If you’re not getting the opportunities you want at your job, volunteering is a chance to branch out and learn new skills.
- Discover Whether a Job’s for You: What a great chance to see if you might enjoy making a career out of a certain field.
- Bring Fun into Your Life: Your time volunteering might become your favorite part of your day, week, or month.
- Find a Sense of Purpose: Find a deeper sense of meaning in life by serving others.
- Bolster Your Resume: College admissions reps like to see volunteer experience, along with companies and organizations hiring.
- Improve Your Physical Health: Volunteering situations get you out and moving around, burning those calories and bettering your body.
- You Help Someone: This might be the best benefit to volunteering, that you get the satisfaction of helping someone else.
There’s no excuse to not volunteer! Make the call; send the email; talk to someone; do whatever you need today to start volunteering!