The word “selfish” carries a negative meaning which is appropriate in most respects. In the case of volunteerism, selfish is good! We’d like to think of volunteering as a selfless good deed, but at its core, we are being rewarded and know it.
Ask a room full of volunteers for a show of hands if they volunteer because it’s the right thing to do. Chances are, all hands would go up. Although, it would not reflect the whole truth. It’s not because they are looking to deceive themselves or others to make them look and feel more righteous. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Volunteers truly are selfless do-gooders wanting to help and make a difference. Whether we admit to it or not, we often seek volunteering opportunities because it also produces benefits we seek in order to make giving of our time and energy worth it. And that’s okay.
Think of it this way. When you interview for a job and the interviewer asks, “why do you want this position?” You don’t say it’s because you need money to put food on the table and pay the electric bill while supporting your Netflix addiction. No, you say it’s because you believe in the mission of the company and want to use your skills and talents to help that company change the world. Right? Both answers are correct and there is no shame in admitting to the unspoken side of the truth.
The same goes for volunteerism. Volunteers want to change the world, but they also want to change their world. That’s a good thing! Ancient Greek philosopher Socrates said, “Let him who would move the world first move himself.” Selfish motivations can often change the world, whether it is the pursuit of money, feeling of accomplishment, or self-pride.
Through volunteering, many will agree that they have never been able to give as much as they have received. Here are five “selfish” reasons you should volunteer.
Your life depends on it
Okay maybe not exactly, but the truth is, helping others is built into our DNA. It’s one way that allowed us to evolve from apelike creatures carving out stone tools to humans with smartphones. In prehistoric times, threats were plenty and came from many directions whether it was a saber tooth tiger lurking outside while you slept, or a prolonged famine. The best way to survive was to support and look out for one another.
While the nature of threats are somewhat different in today’s world, we still depend on each other’s help to survive especially in the face of natural disasters, economic downturns, and pandemics.
You will be healthier and live longer
Research suggests that volunteering is particularly beneficial to the health of older adults, and those serving at least 100 hours annually. Better health often translates to a longer life. Who doesn’t want to live a long life? Yes, there are some who would say “not me.” The world does have its problems and the longer we live, the more we experience them.
The flipside is also true. Life can be beautiful! Think about living long enough to experience the peace of your grandbaby falling asleep in your arms, or to hear them laugh for the first time at the playful faces you make. Or, doing the funky chicken dance at your 50th wedding anniversary party. Heck, we may even be able to experience watching humans land on Mars for the first time. It’s being planned out as we speak!
You will connect and meet like-minded people
Forget scrolling through your endless social media feed and clicking on the like button to feel a sense of connection. Research has shown that even with digital resources, there has been a 50% decline in friends over the past 20 years. Back in 2000, there was about three friends per individual, but now on average an individual has approximately 1.5 friends. Unfortunately, COVID took a good look at those numbers and said, “hold my drink.”
Volunteering gives us the opportunity to interact with others and break through loneliness. Maybe you’ll meet the love of your life. Maybe you’ll find that business partner to help you come up with a million-dollar idea. Who knows how your life can change? At the very least, you will meet wonderful people wanting to do wonderful things, reminding us that this is a wonderful world.
You will learn something new
Does life sometimes have you feeling stuck in a rut? Volunteering opens the possibility to escape from the mundane and learn new things. Many of life’s greatest passions are discovered because someone was willing to try and learn something new.
For job seekers, learning new skills through volunteering looks great on a resume and adds to your portfolio. Are you a business owner? What a great way to meet potential clients and network. Many things you do in the business community, you can do with volunteering community.
You will get what you give…and more
It’s one of life’s fundamental truths. Through volunteering, you will get so much more than the effort you put in. If that’s not a great trade off, I don’t know what is. More happiness, better health, increased social skills, better self-esteem, better mood, more fulfillment, greater purpose, new friends, a better community, gratitude, learning, experience, and reduced stress are just some of the many benefits people experience through volunteering. It’s like going to the checkout line at the grocery store with a cart full of items, paying for only one item and being told that you are covered for the rest.
No matter what your motivation, choose to volunteer with a purpose. Just one warning, your selfishness might end up with you feeling good all over while changing your community and the world for the better.
To get involved in volunteering with Blue Zones project, visit BlueZonesProject.com. Volunteer opportunities include:
- Helping build gardening projects
- Joining trash clean up events
- Serving as a purpose workshop assistant
- Serving on a committee
- Organizing special events
Written by Sebastien Saitta, Blue Zones Project – Southwest Florida
