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Giving back to the recovery community is one of the most rewarding and beneficial things you can do for your recovery. Not only does it help support another person going through a difficult time, but it is a meaningful activity that can strengthen your bonds with your recovery and others. Volunteer work also does not have to be centered within the field of recovery to be an effective way to show support and gratitude. If you are passionate about the volunteer work you are doing, it might lead to a career opportunity through the organization or another volunteer opportunity. Ultimately, staying active through healthy and meaningful practices that give you purpose are always beneficial for your recovery.
Keeps You Focused
Volunteering can help you focus on activities that establish who you are and what you are doing. For starters, you are interacting with other individuals that are motivated to give back, and you are not drinking or using other substances. You are doing something for someone other than yourself. Doing things for others helps you get out of yourself, which in recovery means handling everyday stress. Volunteering and getting outside of yourself is excellent for combatting feelings of selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear that can arise from time to time.
Volunteering is also a positive way to fill the time in your days and nights. You might be okay while you're at work or attending a meeting and participating in other self-care activities; however, it is the time unscheduled where you can begin to doubt your recovery. You might question your self-worth, your direction and become very vulnerable in these times. Volunteering just one or two days a week can help you fill these times when you are likely to feel idle and weak. The best part about volunteering is that there is something to do at any point in any day. You can also seek something that you are passionate about doing.
Improves Self-Esteem
Helping others makes you feel good about yourself. Like other pursuits, the euphoria attained from helping others is not fleeting or a short term like the euphoria you get from short-term relief such as drinking or using drugs. Volunteering creates a steady feeling of meaning and purpose. You get to see the tangible result of your actions and see how it positively impacts others' lives. It is a feeling that nobody can ever take away. When you continue to volunteer, you continue to experience these feelings, which help restore your self-esteem and self-confidence. You are also strengthening the trust and awareness within your community by helping others reach their goals.
Keeps You Engaged With the World Around You
When you live with addiction, you can experience intense periods of loneliness and isolation. Such periods create negative thoughts that become beliefs that can turn into harmful behaviors. It might also occur in a pattern or cycle, depending on your triggers and how you handle stress. Volunteering helps to break these patterns by giving you a place to go that is positive and participate in an act that you know is good. You start to take on a leadership role, especially if you are becoming a sponsor or counselor for another in recovery. However, rather than feel burdened by responsibility, you feel liberated by choice. You start to create a virtuous cycle that can reaffirm itself each time you participate in the act of volunteering.
You Help Others Who Need It
The essence of volunteering can help others that need it. You participate not because it looks good or that it's easy; you join as an act of kindness. When you begin to act this way, it is a sure sign that you have achieved a breakthrough in your recovery - you are finally ready and able to look past yourself. Recognizing others' needs is not only motivating and empowering; you realize that you can help to make a profound impact on that person's life without asking for anything in return.
Where to Begin?
If you are ready to reap all the benefits from volunteering, you can start by looking at your recovery communities and support groups. You can reach out and pursue a sponsorship role. You can also ask peers from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) about any volunteer opportunities and how you can get started. Many of these programs offer service structures that provide opportunities to volunteer. You can also inquire about opportunities from co-workers, friends, and family.
With volunteer opportunities, there is always a cause to get behind. You can also seek opportunities via the internet, so you don't need to leave the comfort of your home. Remember, the true gift of recovery is giving away what was so freely given to you.
If you have been seeking opportunities to volunteer, then get out there and give it a shot. If you have never volunteered, you are sure to have a new and rewarding experience. Volunteering can unite you to have valuable friendships and open you to an entirely new outlook and range of recovery activities. Volunteering and the benefits fall in line with what we do here at START UP Recovery. We strive to find your inner potential and look for ways to connect your possibility to work for you and others. Ever-expanding upon your network not only offers you personal growth opportunities but professional ones, too. Our most tremendous success at START UP Recovery is helping you find your greatest potential, and it all starts with taking that first step. With a beachside location in sunny SoCal, you will always be inspired and motivated. To learn more, reach out to START UP Recovery today at (310) 773-3809.