SELF-CARE IS SELFLESS GIVING

Self-care is becoming one of the biggest buzzwords of 2018 and we are only halfway through the year. Taking care of your feelings is becoming the forefront of preemptive care. So for those that are not selfish, how can you practice self-care and yet still provide care for others? The answer is service, volunteering, and giving back to your community.

Those that give their time to volunteer are always looking for ways to maintain and establish self-care rituals because giving back can take a lot out of a person emotionally and mentally. Self-care has been a proven formula to avoid burnout and second-hand trauma. Aside from self-care being a coping mechanism for those that volunteer, being able to donate your time for a worthy cause can definitely be seen as a form of taking care of the self.

 

GREAT WAY TO MEET PEOPLE

We all have busy lives. Whether it be that 45-minute packed train ride from Brooklyn to Manhattan or sitting in traffic (I just moved to LA). If you don’t love-love your day job, then it can make your days even longer and busier. Where is the time to meet new friends?

Volunteering is the best way to meet new people with similar interests. When I became vegan, I had a fairly difficult time finding vegan friends in real life. There are plenty of vegans in the virtual world, but some questions about recipes and vegan wines are better in person. I volunteered at a nearby animal shelter and quickly began to meet people who were also vegan and had a wealth of knowledge to share.

Pick something you are interested in and go for it. You won’t regret it.

 

THE HIGH IS WORTH IT

Back in grade school, many of you volunteered due to a mandatory requirement. However, the willingness to volunteer in your adult years can release so many endorphins and ultimately lead to that needed push in the right direction.

According to The Health Plan, a community-based health maintenance organization, doing for others can lead to less stress. “A recent study looked at those who engaged in various helpful behaviors, including simple things like holding open a door for someone or asking someone if they needed help. Those who did more helpful things for others had higher levels of positive emotion and lower stress.”

The National Institute of Health states that brain imaging has shown the joys of giving. “The old adage “It’s better to give than to receive” may have a biological basis.” Who doesn’t like to feel good?

 

HOW CAN I GIVE BACK?

Earlier in this article, you were asked to pick something of interest. Now, put that into a google search with your location and enjoy looking through some of those things. VolunteerMatch.org is a great place to begin your search for a place to volunteer by location. You could also reach out to a close friend and ask. Your favorite celebrity might have a charity that they donate to. Are there any available volunteer opportunities there?

Whatever you decide, just know that on days where you give your supervisors all you can give, there is a better form of giving that you can do in your free time. Our social interactions make us better people. When we begin to give instead of taking, that is the ultimate form of self-care.
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