Charity is, as they say, good for the soul. But it can also be good for your résumé, social life, community health and more.
According to the Giving USA, charitable giving in the United States reached an estimated $449.6 billion in 2019, a 4.2 percent increase from the previous year. Millions of ordinary Americans—people you pass on the street every day—give to charity every year, all for the sake of making the world a better place, one dollar at a time.
And whether you donate money or time, giving back is beneficial—and not just for the recipient. Research has shown that the old adage, “it’s better to give than to receive” is true after all. According to a study featured in the Journal of Happiness Studies, people who volunteered self-reported higher levels of satisfaction with their lives and rated their overall health as better when compared to those who did not volunteer. Because volunteering is intrinsically rewarding, people often report feeling a ''high'' or ''glow'' after giving back, similar to the good feeling experienced after a satisfying workout. While these are individual experiences, the common thread seems to stem from the perspective that comes helping others and how it can help you take your mind off your own problems while allowing you to see the bigger picture. By recognizing the struggles of another and working to make a difference in someone's life, your own problems can feel more manageable by comparison.
Whether you're donating to a charity that's close to your heart or volunteering for an organization that helps those in need, there's no doubt that giving back improves the lives of all it touches. If you still need convincing, read up on seven more ways your quality of life could improve when you give back.
1. Develop new skills. Gaining skills, knowledge and expertise are common side effects of volunteering. Giving others your time brings you interesting and challenging opportunities that might not come along otherwise. This experience can be added to your résumé and could result in a better paying job in the future.
2. Make social connections. Loneliness and boredom are common among retirees, students and transplants to a new city. Volunteering can relieve this sense of social isolation and help you fill empty hours in the day.
3. Give back to your community. Doing something for the community you live in and returning the favor to those who have helped you are strong motivators. Everyone, rich or poor, takes from society, and volunteering is one way to show a sense of appreciation.
4. Develop and grow as a person. Volunteering is an excellent way to explore your likes and dislikes. If you’re interested in a new career, volunteer in the field first to see if you will actually like the work. You may find a totally unrelated field is a much better fit for you, one you’d never consider if you hadn’t volunteered there first.
5. Gain a new perspective. Life can be hard and when you’re feeling down, your problems can seem insurmountable. Volunteering can offer a new perspective—seeing people who are worse off than you are, yet still hanging in there, can help you see your life in a whole new light.
6. Know that you're needed. Feeling needed and appreciated are important, and you may not get that appreciation from your paid work or home life where the things you do are expected or taken for granted. When you volunteer, you realize just how much you are truly needed. Meeting people who need your help is a strong incentive to continue as people are depending on you. If you don’t do it, who will?
7. Boost your self-esteem. Many volunteers experience a sense of increased self-esteem and greater self-worth. Helping others makes you feel good about yourself, because you’re doing something for someone that they couldn’t do for themselves.
While research has shown that the good feelings you experience when helping others may be just as important to your health as exercise and a healthy diet, it’s the smile from a child or thankful person that shows you’re really making a difference in someone's life. And that’s the greatest feeling in the world.
