Why Volunteering Is Good For The Soul

In a fast-paced society of extraordinary innovations and creative ideas, life can get overwhelming on what the new trendy “it” thing is nowadays. For centuries, the number of random activities to perform has grown extensively around the world, such as adventuring through a scenic boardwalk along Venice Beach, California, hosting a “Bring Your Own Brush” paint celebration for rowdy children, learning how to master the art of henna from Henna for Dummies, and visiting fun-filled food gatherings at the Cheesecake Factory or World of Coca-Cola; the list is endless. While all of the following are exhilarating and interesting, they do not necessarily “fulfill” one’s life. What is the most unique and satisfying hobby a person can be involved in? The

According to the Life and Career Skills Series Volume 2 edited by Miranda Ferrara and Michelle LaMeau, the “Employment” chapter states, “volunteering builds self-esteem, confidence, poise, social and professional skills, interpersonal and communication skills and allows you to experience personal growth,” affecting not only the mind and body, but also the spirit within (“Volunteering”). When people volunteer, they are learning more about themselves and witnessing the great energy of hospitality to become happier and less depressed and melancholy in life. By becoming more optimistic, everything will be perceived with a “half full” perspective rather than a “half empty” mind-set. At another instance in Dana Bradley’s article about the meaning of volunteering, she elaborates that the action enhances one’s sense of purpose in helping others (Bradley). To illustrate, Bradley reveals how a lady Mabel devotes her free time calling a senior citizen center and simply communicating with the occupants (Bradley). Mabel enjoys making others feel important and not forgotten because that one phone call, relieving loneliness and abandonment, may be the only person the elders in the building speak to all day. Continuing, she believes that one day, somebody in the future will do the same for her and pay forward the kind act. Volunteering is not merely about immediate satisfaction; on the contrary, it provides long-term benefits in human beings. Studies

Published by the University of Pennsylvania, an article reports that a few of the motivations for students to continue volunteering are displaying the time and effort in assisting an organization or program to others and also expanding one’s connection: “motivations collected [for volunteering are] … to put on [a] résumé when applying for a job [and] to make new contacts that might help a business career” (Cnann). Showcasing an abundance of unobligated hours on a résumé will aid one’s chances to stand out from the crowd and receive an academic and community service-based scholarship. Additionally, knowing recognized, respectable figures within scholarship committees will greatly benefit in one’s favor because the member could vouch positively for the applicant and persuade everybody else to believe the same. From a previous source by Dana Bradley, she continued later in her article that volunteerism affects productivity in people, providing structure on daily basis (Bradley). To illustrate, a student, who is able to balance both service and academic needs, will make sure that his or her duties are completed on time and in an orderly fashion. In a like manner from thebalance.com, Joanne Fritz includes that “seventy percent of Millennials share their skills with charitable causes, but their volunteer hours also make