Pay It Forward By Volunteering: 30 Days Of Gratitude

ACROSS AMERICA — Gratitude is a layered emotion, one that can be expressed in numerous ways. When someone notices the good things in their life and takes stock in how it makes them feel, one natural response is deciding how they want to pay it forward.

Many turn to volunteering, or giving time and energy to other people and organizations in need.

Approximately 270,000 volunteers perform 1.6 billion hours of volunteer service, according to AmeriCorps, which whose members and volunteers work directly with nonprofit groups to tackle some of the country’s most pressing issues.

Volunteering shares many of the same mental and emotional benefits as practicing gratitude, something Patch is diving into this November with "30 Days Of Gratitude," a series exploring the intentionality of gratitude and how it enriches our lives.

Living with gratitude goes beyond merely being thankful. It doesn't mean pretending bad things don't happen, but rather savoring the goodness, according to experts on the topic, including Robert Emmons, a University of California - Davis psychology professor who is known as the "father of gratitude."

In short, living with gratitude is "an affirmation of goodness" and a recognition of the good in the world as the source of our individual gifts, benefits and blessings.

Gratitude is not singularly focused, Emmons said in a YouTube video for the Greater Good Science Center, but rather recognizes that the sources of goodness are other people who "gave us many gifts, big and small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives."

The Benefits Of Volunteering

The health benefits of volunteering are well-documented and plentiful.

A 2017 study looked at how volunteering affects mental and physical health, life satisfaction, social well-being and depression in adults. Researchers found that volunteering is significantly related to better health and should be promoted as a “healthy lifestyle” by public health officials.

Other ways volunteering benefits us, according to mental health website HelpGuide.org:

Volunteering connects you to others: Helping out in even the smallest ways can make a difference in the lives of others in your community. It can also benefit your own life as it helps you make new friends, expand your network and boost your social skills.

Volunteering is great for your mind and body: Volunteering helps counteract the effects of stress, anger and anxiety. The connection it provides to others helps combat depression and loneliness. It also just makes us happy.

Volunteering increases self-confidence: Doing good for others in your community provides a sense of accomplishment, while being a volunteer gives your life additional meaning.

Volunteering brings fun and fulfillment to your life: Doing volunteer work you find meaningful can be a great way to escape from the day-to-day stress of work, school or family commitments.

Volunteering can also foster gratitude — not just in the beneficiary but in the volunteer as well. So it may not come as a surprise that the benefits of volunteering closely mirror those of practicing gratitude.

Adults and kids who live with gratitude are kinder and more generous. They’re generally optimistic, enthusiastic and happy. They sleep better. As their aggression goes down, their ability to cope with stress goes up. Teens report higher self-esteem and lower levels of anxiety and depression.

Gratitude can also foster resilience, which helps us get through tough times.

In the end, your behavior changes your biology, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“Positive gestures benefit you by releasing oxytocin, a hormone that helps connect people. Some people call it the love hormone,” the Mayo Clinic’s website reads. “Plus, you'll also benefit the person on the other end of the gesture. After all, who doesn't like to be thanked for their efforts or just for being who they are?”

Volunteer opportunities are also searchable at AmeriCorps.gov.

Do you have an organization or volunteer opportunity that’s near and dear to your heart? Tell your neighbors about it in the comments.