Being a volunteer can be life-changing. I’m reminded of this phenomenon after reading two of the articles in this issue. Both Maisie Fitzmaurice and Claire Miller are spot on by emphasizing how volunteering can impact not only those who are the recipients of one’s time and energy but also those who are providing services.
I have been fortunate to live a life filled with gratification that has resulted from my professional endeavors. My years spent as The Ohio State University, in which I had the opportunity to prepare thousands of students from the undergraduate through Ph.D. levels to follow their career paths, has been a journey I could never have imagined as a kid growing up in Brooklyn, New York.
Upon an early retirement from The Ohio State University, my colleague and I began a health textbook publishing company in which we wrote and produced K-12 and college level health textbooks that continue to be among the most, if not the most, widely used textbooks in the country today.
While to observers, the aforementioned professional highlights might be considered as having reached the pinnacle of professional accomplishment, they are by no means comparable to the impact on my life as that of a volunteer for Healthy New Albany.
Whether it was my time spent as executive director of Healthy New Albany, race director of the Walking Classic or a host of other related volunteer activities, the impact to my health mirrors that which one may peruse when reading any number of studies about volunteerism and health. I’ve experienced connections to and relationships with others that have resulted in a mental and social health boost. My stress level has been significantly reduced, perhaps due the increased production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in how we feel pleasure. My blood pressure has been reduced compared to what it was before leading a life focused on volunteerism. My time spent providing services to others has given me an increased sense of purpose. All of the benefits I have experienced are benefits that are well-documented in the literature. As published in the journal Health Psychology, those who volunteer with regularity and who do so for altruistic reasons live longer.
Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, believed that the essence of life is to serve others and do good. Based upon well-documented research, volunteering can also be the essence of good health.
Partake in the many Healthy New Albany volunteer opportunities offered and experience how they can impact your health.
