Happy Global Volunteer Month!

When one thinks of the word “volunteering”, what comes to mind is probably an image of a soup kitchen, or a homeless shelter, or something similar. But there are lots of unconventional ways to volunteer your time to better your community. You can participate in a large-scale public cleanup event, sure, but you can also get some friends and do a smaller cleanup in an area right next to your house. You can coach a youth team, or give blood, or assist the elderly. The possibilities are endless. 

When I was a little kid, my mom used to give me money to spend on birthday and Christmas presents for my other family members. Eventually, though, I started accruing money from other sources: lemonade stands, doing chores around the house, et cetera. At this point I started paying for gifts with my own money, not my mom’s. I remember feeling a lot more satisfied after spending my own money on others compared to when I just used my mom’s money. That feeling of satisfaction from (relative) altruism has stayed with me throughout my life. When I do volunteer work, that feeling comes back to me. 

One other crucial benefit of volunteering is that it sets a fantastic example for younger people. If you have people that look up to you, volunteer work can be a great way to get them inspired to help others in a similar fashion. You’re not just helping the people you’re volunteering for; you’re setting a good standard for the next generation to follow in the footsteps of. If you instill that in others, they can eventually instill that in the next generation after them when they grow up. It’s a positive feedback loop.

It’s easy to get lost in a negative spiral considering the state of the world today. There are a lot of stressful outside pressures that can weigh on you. They certainly weigh on me. But I try to focus on goodness; in particular, the people. It can feel really rewarding by volunteering with the people you know, in places that feel like home. There might be a lot of negativity in the world, and it’s easy to feel like nothing you do is significant enough to combat it, but it’s important to remember the world of difference you can make for just one person. Sometimes, doing what you can is enough.