(Last Updated On: March 24, 2022)

SCARS™ Scam Victims’ Recovery: Volunteering

After A Romance Scam, You Find That You Have Huge Amounts Of Time And Nothing To Do – No One To Talk To!

The Answer Is Actually Simple

If you are looking to fill in the time, get out of your own head, and make friends you first have to make connections.

Online connections rarely become friends because they are either too fake, too far, nothing in common, or too disposable.

What we recommend is that after all the scammers you have had it is time to be real. And that means local – where you live.

The Way To Do It Is Not Complicated

Look online for places where you can volunteer your time. Maybe a zoo. Maybe a museum. Maybe a school, or a hospital. Hundreds of places in every town need help and you can do that. Not only will it help you stay off of the internet and keep busy, but it will also help you meet new people. And more importantly, meet new people where you will have something inc common – making it easier to talk to new people.

Volunteering doesn’t cost you anything – except maybe a little for transportation. But the rewards are incredible, plus it is the best way to recover from your scams as well.

Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits

Volunteering can help you make friends, learn new skills, advance your career, and even feel happier and healthier. Learn how to find the right fit.

Why Volunteer?

With busy lives, it can be hard to find time to volunteer. However, the benefits of volunteering can be enormous. Volunteering offers vital help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and the community, but the benefits can be even greater for you, the volunteer. The right match can help you to find friends, connect with the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career.

Giving to others can also help protect your mental and physical health. It can reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose. While it’s true that the more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll experience, volunteering doesn’t have to involve a long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy day. Giving in even simple ways can help those in need and improve your health and happiness.

Benefits of volunteering: 4 ways to feel healthier and happier

• Volunteering connects you to others
• Volunteering is good for your mind and body
• Volunteering can advance your career
• Volunteering brings fun and fulfillment to your life

Volunteering connects you to others

One of the more well-known benefits of volunteering is the impact on the community. Volunteering allows you to connect to your community and make it a better place. Even helping out with the smallest tasks can make a real difference to the lives of people, animals, and organizations in need. And volunteering is a two-way street: It can benefit you and your family as much as the cause you choose to help. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills.

Make new friends and contacts

One of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships is to commit to a shared activity together. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, especially if you are new to an area. It strengthens your ties to the community and broadens your support network, exposing you to people with common interests, neighborhood resources, and fun and fulfilling activities.

Increase your social and relationship skills

While some people are naturally outgoing, others are shy and have a hard time meeting new people. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice and develop your social skills, since you are meeting regularly with a group of people with common interests. Once you have momentum, it’s easier to branch out and make more friends and contacts.

Volunteering Is Good For Your Mind And Body

Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health

• Volunteering helps counteract the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety. The social contact aspect of helping and working with others can have a profound effect on your overall psychological well-being. Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person. Working with pets and other animals has also been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.
• Volunteering combats depression. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system, which in turn protects you against depression.
• Volunteering makes you happy. By measuring hormones and brain activity, researchers have discovered that being helpful to others delivers immense pleasure. Human beings are hard-wired to give to others. The more we give, the happier we feel.
• Volunteering increases self-confidence. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity. And the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.
• Volunteering provides a sense of purpose. Older adults, especially those who have retired or lost a spouse, can find new meaning and direction in their lives by helping others. Whatever your age or life situation, volunteering can help take your mind off your own worries, keep you mentally stimulated, and add more zest to your life.
• Volunteering helps you stay physically healthy. Studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not. Older volunteers tend to walk more, find it easier to cope with everyday tasks, are less likely to develop high blood pressure, and have better-thinking skills. Volunteering can also lessen symptoms of chronic pain and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Volunteering Brings Fun And Fulfillment To Your Life

Volunteering is a fun and easy way to explore your interests and passions. Doing volunteer work you find meaningful and interesting can be a relaxing, energizing escape from your day-to-day routine of work, school, or family commitments. Volunteering also provides you with renewed creativity, motivation, and vision that can carry over into your personal and professional life.

Many people volunteer in order to make time for hobbies outside of work as well. For instance, if you have a desk job and long to spend time outdoors, you might consider volunteering to help plant a community garden, walk dogs for an animal shelter, or help out at a children’s camp.

Consider your goals and interests

You will have a richer and more enjoyable volunteering experience if you first take some time to identify your goals and interests. Think about why you want to volunteer. What would you enjoy doing? The opportunities that match both your goals and your interests are most likely to be fun and fulfilling.

How To Find The Right Volunteer Opportunity

For romance scam victims, what you do is less important than simply doing something.

There are numerous volunteer opportunities available almost everywhere. The key is to find a position that you would enjoy and are capable of doing. It’s also important to make sure that your commitment matches the organization’s needs. Ask yourself the following:

• Would you like to work with adults, children, animals, or remotely from home?
• Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team?
• Are you better behind the scenes or do you prefer to take a more visible role?
• How much time are you willing to commit?
• What skills can you bring to a volunteer job?
• What causes are important to you?

Consider several volunteer possibilities

Don’t limit yourself to just one organization or one specific type of job. Sometimes an opportunity looks great on paper, but the reality is quite different. Try to visit different organizations and get a feel for what they are like and if you click with other staff and volunteers.

Where To Find Volunteer Opportunities

• Community theaters, museums, and monuments
• Where there are animals: zoos, aquariums, animal shelters, rescue organizations, or wildlife centers
• Libraries or senior centers
• Service organizations such as Lions Clubs or Rotary Clubs
• Youth organizations, sports teams, and after-school programs
• Historical restorations, national parks, and conservation organizations
• Places of worship such as churches or synagogues

You can find more just by searching for “Volunteering” in your city on Google.

How Much Time Should You Volunteer?

Volunteering doesn’t have to take over your life to be beneficial.

In fact, research shows that just two to three hours per week, or about 100 hours a year, can confer the most benefits—to both you and your chosen cause. The important thing is to volunteer only the amount of time that feels comfortable to you. Volunteering should feel like a fun and rewarding hobby, not another chore on your to-do list.

 

Whatever You Decide To Do It Will Help You Occupy Your Mind And Keep You Physically Active While You Work On Your Recovery!

PLEASE SHARE OUR ARTICLES WITH YOUR CONTACTS
HELP OTHERS STAY SAFE ONLINE

 

SCARS™ Team
A SCARS Division
Miami Florida U.S.A.

 

 

TAGS: SCARS, Important Article, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, SCARS™ Scam Victims’ Recovery, Volunteering, Keeping Busy, Huge Amounts Of Time And Nothing To Do, No One To Talk To

The Latest SCARS|RSN Posts