Why you should volunteer (aside from the cliché of helping others)

I’ve once read in a passage that one becomes free only if he transcends himself and goes out to others in love, participating in something greater than himself. For me, this is quite true in all means. To offer your time, effort, emotion and intellect in the selfless service for others is a noble endeavour to pursue. No matter how exhausted you were from a day’s work, you wouldn’t feel any compunction because for you, each and all of your labour were compensated by the people’s unprecedented gratefulness and joy. The smiles painted on their faces are priceless and the affirmative fulfilling and satisfying effect they have on you is unequalled. So now you’re probably thinking “I should get off my couch and start volunteering.” With busy lives and hectic schedule, it can be an arduous task to look for time to volunteer. However, the benefits of volunteering could be enormous to every aspect of a person’s life especially in terms of his/her personhood, development and entirety as an individual.

People volunteer for an extensive variety of reasons, most especially wanting to help others. That’s the cliché and common ground for at least most of us. Conversely, I think we have to rebuild bottom to top our perspective on volunteer work and accept the other selfish reasons an individual might have as to why they volunteer.  There is a long tradition of seeing volunteering as a form of charity, based on altruism and selflessness. However truthfully speaking, this does not exclude our other personal motivations as well. Needlessly speaking, I don’t have anything against anyone’s reasons are to volunteer. For me, the important thing at the back of my mind is that they are out there, offering themselves, giving back to their community and making a difference no matter what the reasoning is behind their discretion to do so. So, I have compiled a list of reasons for people who are interested in volunteer work but just not too compelled to do so but might be motivated if they knew what’s in it for them.

#1. Volunteering is a great arena for you to meet and establish rapport with other people who share your passions and interests. Through volunteer work, we are able to release ourselves from the confines of our own social circle to the infinite possibilities of the social spheres in our community. Moreover, the kinds of people you meet in these types of activities are determined, compassionate and proactive individuals who, just like you, want to create a difference in their own little ways. These people are amazing and I can’t think of a better company to surround yourself with than those who have decided and started to become the change they want to see in the world.

#2. Volunteering is also good for your mind and body. Volunteering can provide an outlet for your system to let loose of all the negativity through doing good for others and which in turn gives a feeling of satisfaction and natural sense of fulfilment. You will feel better about others. You will see yourself in a different light and thus, it will ripple its affirmative effects on your self-esteem, life and future goals.

#3. You will experience things beyond compare. Volunteering is a fun and exciting way to explore your passions and innate skills. Through involving yourself in this kind of activity, you might discover things about yourself that you weren’t aware about in the first place. You can gain experiences that you probably won’t witness and undergo elsewhere. You will be able to feed your mind and soul with good memories and thoughts to ponder upon. Your vision will imrove. You will be enlightened and your eyes will be opened. Once your proper thinking was clouded by a muddle of stereotypes, emotions, and immaturity. Those things that once were unclear to you, now you’ll see with exceptional clarity. The cry of help by other people will no longer fall on deaf ears. With a clear vision comes new preparedness to recognize opportunities. You will learn to move.

#4. You will feel needed. Many times we ponder that we volunteer ourselves because other people are in need of what we can do for them but the biggest thing I’ve learned about volunteering is how much I was in need of them; that I realized I needed to be needed. I felt the need for me to grasp and internalize further that I am not just an empty shell, that I have a purpose. This is hard to explain but you’ll know it when you experience it first-hand.

We may all have different reasons as to why we are compelled and are submitting ourselves to volunteer work, but it all boils down to truly serving others. When the opportunity is given, grab it. Use that opportunity. Contribute what you can. Grow. Connect. Learn.