Did you Know? The feeling you get when helping others is as important to your health as exercising and healthy eating. I couldn’t help but notice how much the volunteers at my recent race helped me achieve a new PR (personal record). The cheering, high fives from kids, funny posters (You run better than our Government or Bikini Contest Ahead, Touch here for Super Boost) and the water being handed out by young kids as they get splashed on a cold brisk AZ morning. I absolutely love the support. The best part is that volunteering is a two-way street.
Volunteering can help change your own perspective and impact your own life and others in ways you never thought possible.
Many times, we play the same broken record to ourselves. “I can’t do this”, “I don’t have time”, or “I am not built for that,”“before this happened in my life, I used to…” are some of the words we say to ourselves. Sometimes the smallest change in our perspective will help us think differently about something (life, work situation, problems, family, health, etc.). For example, if you volunteered at a running event, you would see how others’ struggle may be worse than your own, yet they hang in there and keep running. You will also realize just how needed and important you are.
Giving back is a great way to show appreciation which in itself can be a change in perspective.
Volunteering is something you should do with your team. Of the many career memories, some of the best are the time we gave back. Serving food for the homeless in Downtown LA, making dinner for children at a Ronald McDonald House or playing soccer with kids at an afterschool program are just a few.
Volunteering and giving back has had an impact on my own kids. Watching them shop for and deliver Christmas gifts to those who otherwise would not have received gifts was a benefit for all. This past weekend I asked Megan if being at my race made her interested in running. She said yes. While she wasn’t there to volunteer she was there to support me. I can remember when running was not at the top of her workout regimen…. CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE.
It’s easy to feel the impact of giving your time and gifts back. It can be as easy as serving water to a guy running his heart out for a PR or giving a first bike to a young kid and serving a hot meal to a homeless person.
Change your perspective, change your story and make difference in the lives of others and your own.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give” – Winston Churchill.