Being a Volunteer: How It Provides a Big Boost to Your Spirit & How to Overcome Internal Resistance to It
by www.Sedona.com
Have you ever considered volunteering, only to talk yourself out of it? You have so many other things you need to do in a day, after all, so how would you find the time?
Well, volunteering may very well be one of the best uses of your time out there.
“Volunteering for a cause that you believe in helps you to get out of your own way,” says Hale Dwoskin, CEO and director of training of Sedona Training Associates. “When you give to or support others in any way you forget about yourself temporarily and focus your energy on doing good. This in and of itself is very beneficial. It is also beneficial to give because of the joy and satisfaction that comes from contributing to something good.”
In fact, according to the National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating, conducted in Canada:
- 76 percent of volunteers said that after volunteering they gained interpersonal skills (they were better able to understand other people, motivate others and help them in dealing with difficult situations).
- 66 percent said they developed better communication skills in areas like public speaking, writing and public relations.
- 64 percent reported an increase in their knowledge about such issues as health, women, politics, criminal justice or the environment.
Other studies have also found that volunteering contributes to:
If you’d like to volunteer but have been resisting it for any reason, it’s time to get out of your own way.
“The best way to get out of your own way if you are resisting helping is to simply treat the feeling of resistance as just that -- a feeling, not a fact -- and choose to let it go,” Dwoskin says. “By letting go of the resistance and allowing yourself to get into action you will find that the resistance melts, you feel better and you will find yourself doing great things for the planet as well.”
Not sure where to volunteer? Charity Navigator has listings of over 5,000 of America’s largest charities to help you find a good cause in your area.
Source
GivingandVolunteering.ca
|
