Volunteering Helps Us Too
Caring for Others Can Also Be Caring for Yourself at the Same Time
Today, I was meeting up with a colleague in the Alma School Road and Southern Avenue area in Mesa, and I saw this dog adoption event at a coffee shop and just had to stop by. As a kid, I had helped out at several dog adoption events, and my family had fostered several Boston Terriers growing up (shout out AZ Boston Terrier Rescue at www.azbtrescue.org). Remembering this, it brought back feelings of doing volunteer work, and how it felt good.
When we are stuck in a cycle of spending so much of our life just trying to make ends meet, it can be really hard to make space for volunteering. However, when we volunteer, it isn’t solely for someone else. Volunteering benefits us in a lot of ways!
When we volunteer, we can boost our sense of self-worth, because we are reminded that our goodwill and efforts are needed in the world. It reminds us that our presence is enough. It can give us a sense of meaning, helping us see how our small efforts can help a larger cause.
Volunteering also encourages us to connect with our community. Either with people we directly help, with animals, or with fellow volunteers, it helps create a sense of a shared togetherness.
In caring for others, we may find it easier to start caring for ourselves. With animals, it is so easy to remember that they need food, water, walks, company, play, and rest. As we do that with them, we end up taking care of our own needs. Even just the routine of getting up and going somewhere consistently, it forces us to create habits, which is helpful for self-care. Volunteering can also be a good motivator to get started, and with that momentum we can more easily care for ourselves.
Obviously, not everyone is able to give the same amount of time, effort, or consistency towards charity or volunteer work, but it can also help you when you give what you can. A sense of purpose and connection are basic humans needs, and volunteering is an easy way to meet those needs.
If you felt the desire to help out animals in particular, there were a few rescues at the event today, including Paws, Claws & Hooves Animal Rescue & Sanctuary (find them at www.pchrescue.org) and All Tails Matter Rescue (more easily found on Facebook, but also on a page here). Maybe you can get started helping out with spreading awareness, making a donation, offering to transport a dog, or tabling at an event like I saw today!
