This blog post was written by Activate Good guest blogger, Regina Kaiser. 

International Day of Happiness is just around the corner on March 20th. International Happiness Day is a nationally recognized day created by the United Nations and the nonprofit Action for Happiness in 2011 as an effort to make happiness as much a priority as economic opportunity. 

Truth be told, it feels a little odd celebrating International Happiness day during a pandemic. Covid-19 put a strain on so many happy times over the last year. The isolation, social distancing, and anxiety has made for a messy year. But did you know that volunteering increases happiness? It’s true. Find a variety of volunteer opportunities at ActivateGood.org!

A study published in Britain’s Journal of Happiness, showed that people who volunteered were more satisfied with their lives and ranked their overall health better. Why is this? Volunteering, virtually or in person, increases a person’s sense of purpose, community, mental health, and connections.

Purpose

When we help others, we have a purpose. In today’s world, it’s easy to feel like our purpose is lost. We get pulled in so many directions, it’s hard to remember why we do what we do. Finding purpose by helping others gives us a strong sense of being needed and feeling helpful. Knowing and feeling your purpose is a wonderful lift for our self-esteem. 

Community

Volunteering where you live or work makes you happier. When you volunteer in your community you make your surroundings better. When you make your surroundings better, you make a commitment to take care of the community around you. You make it a better place to live and work. By putting effort into your surroundings, you will feel satisfaction of a job well done. Your community will thrive and so will your happiness. 

Mental Health

Doing good for others helps us stress less and feel fulfilled. When we volunteer, we are doing good for someone else. Helping someone else helps us feel empathy and compassion. It can also help us feel grateful. Gratefulness is important This makes us feel better about ourselves. No matter what the action or job is, our minds and/or bodies are active, connected, and fulfilling a need. When we volunteer, we feel good, it builds our self-confidence.

Connections

Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with people either in person or virtually. Personal connections are very important. They make us feel a sense of belonging and get us out of our head. Connections bring us out into the world. Being around other people is necessary to thrive. Connections help make our lives stronger and our minds healthier.

Volunteering increases happiness. Easy peasy right? Activate Good has many opportunities to get involved and give your time. Whether you volunteer through Activate Good, you are not only fulfilling a community need, but you are making yourself happier. Keep up the great and happy work!