“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Gandhi

Volunteering for me is the most satisfying things we can do and experience. As an expat in Dubai, work – home routine is not an ideal for me to progress. It also need some activity that are rewarding and one of those is to volunteer. I did mentioned in my previous post that I started volunteering in the late year of 2014, this improved my social skills and I met and knew positive people. A lot of good things, experiences and friendships gain through volunteering and I am happy that I did it and counting.

Here are seven reasons why volunteering is rewarding:

1. Make new friends – volunteering can help you meet and know different people. You can also improve your skills as well as learn new skills from them. Together you will share experiences and happiness from doing something great in order to help others.
   

   “photo taken at Charity School in Sharjah initiative of Dubai Cares – Volunteer Emirates 2016.”

2. Improve your confidence – in my own experiences I did really gain confidence through volunteering. In my first event which I didn’t know anyone in the group, I tried to asked questions to someone I first meet and befriend to some. It was great! Also, doing something for others really can give you a chance for trying new things and can build a true sense of achievements.
   

   “cheering a family at Duathlon Race 2016 in Al Barsha UAE, with happy volunteers.”

3. Realize your sense of purpose – choosing to work without expecting in return or being paid is a very nature of volunteering. Volunteers choose to spend their time they greatly care about. In return, the very best feeling is seeing someone’s happiness (the smiles of both parties) and hearing their big thank you’s that echoed in your heart and soul.
   

   “happiness you see in these great smiles of both volunteer and the person you helped with (distributing iftar meals in labor camps during Ramadan with happy Volunteers)”

4. Make a difference – even a simple act of kindness or concern can make a valuable as well as positive effect to environment, people, community and society. You can inspire someone to do better while living on this planet and enjoy the things  of being selfless.
   

   “initiative of some volunteer friends lead by Moustafa Ebrahiem – collecting cigarette butts at Jumierah beach in Dubai. Giving awareness to smokers to throw their cigarette butts properly as well as to beach lovers. You can see more inspirations at fb page named: A Beach Cleanup Dubai – ABCD” 

5. Learn new skillls – in volunteering you have choices which event you’ll like to volunteer to. Sometimes you come up to things which you first done and soon after doing those things you realize that you have that skills. You will discover new talent in you that at first you didn’t notice you had it.
   

   “new skills learned from Sew a Smile 2015 with great Volunteers. These finished stuff had given to special children that needed these the most.”

6. It is challenging – you didn’t expect you did things you haven’t done since. You challenge yourself to do something different and achieve great!
   

   “lifting some goodies for children at the event of Walk for Autism 2016 (Zabeel Park UAE)”

7. Makes you healthier and happier – studies believe that when you do volunteering you will live longer. It gives many benefits for both of your physical and mental health. It have a good effect of your psychological well-being when you have contact to working and helping with others. When you connect to other people as well to pets and other animals especially – you will relieve stress and anxiety, it will also improve your mood positively.
   

   “photo credit from a friend Eve Morales. This was taken at Sharjah animal shelter with pet lover volunteers.”