Day in day out I find myself more and more indulged in volunteer work. For years now I’ve volunteered in numerous organizations, clubs, campaigns and on some personal initiatives. Yet I wonder sometimes: What makes me volunteer? What makes so many people around me volunteer as well? And how come so many others don’t even find sense and logic in why we volunteer…
At 12 years old, I started my first volunteering role in a student based organization at my school called “Student Life Organization” (SLO). I took the first step in my life-long volunteering journey but never knew that it will a life changing experience back then.
During my school years, I took several roles in the “SLO”, joined clubs and a varsity team…but I never really thought I will go this far from university and on.
University too was full of “extra curricular activities” and so I joined clubs, committees, groups, organizations and didn’t stop there…I launched even more clubs and organizations myself…and I still serve in them day after day.
Some ask me why do I put so much time and effort? How come I don’t get bored of all those meetings, activities, workshops and projects? How come all those trainings and activities are for free and we even all pay to do them?
My answer is simple, it’s an addiction. It’s both a hobby and a conviction.
Moreover I believe it abides by Newton’s Laws of Motion (I know it isn’t meant for humans but humor me here). According to Newton’s First Law of Motion, an object at rest tends to stay at rest. Without force acting on an object, nothing will change. So if I may compare, a person at rest tends to stay at rest so we could say that all people need then is a little push, some “force”, to get them going. And once in motion, people tend to stay in motion.
That is exactly why I constantly try to motivate or “push” people to volunteer, to do something, to join me or others in some organization/activity/campaign. You never know when this small thing you volunteer in becomes a life changing experience.
The beauty of it is that unlike regular work or chores, it’s not tiring but rather refreshing and invigorating. It fills you up with so much happiness and energy to know that you have helped someone, served your community or saved something in the environment. For me it has been the sole source of optimism and motivation to do everything else in my life.
If so many millions around the world volunteer everyday …and they keep doing it..then there should be something to it.
On a final note, I believe if you haven’t volunteered in something yet..take the first step and do something and do it now! 😀
Afif's 
Thank you for posting this. I enjoyed reading today’s article very much. Checking up on my health is something I do often. I try to keep up with today’s trends so I’m more active and healthier. Thanks again for sharing your article.
Sir
You are right on volunteer ism , it is good self or inner self which makes the difference from other people.
Hello Admin of Healthy Lifestyles, I’m glad you enjoyed reading the article 🙂 and I look forward to have you visit and post more often on my blog in the future. I’ll make sure to pass by your blog for sure! 🙂
Hello Dr. Amiya, it sure is a self related matter…and we all have it…it just needs to be shown to the public 😉
I wish we had a few more like you in Dudley, West Midlands. Our project is very short of volunteers and we find it difficult to recruit. We meet objections of ‘no time’ (from people who seem permanently logged onto facebook) and ‘all work should be paid’. The volunteers we have are marvellous, a great team, but not enough of them. They also find it difficult to understand why some (not all) people won’t give up even the tiniest amount of time, even for things they say they care about.
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