These days the economy isn’t that good, and each time you turn on the news you’ll hear even more bad news. With unemployment at an all time high, many homes are being foreclosed upon and Wall Street is doing really bad. It’s nearly impossible to keep your head above all of this financially, and staying positive is more of a challenge than ever. To keep your head is tough, but here is one way to help lift your mood and improve other peoples lives: Start volunteering.

As the economy continues to fluctuate, more and more people are starting to volunteer. If you think about it, you may have been too busy before to volunteer and now, you have all the time you need. There are many great advantages to volunteering and you will also improve your mind, spirit and the economy by volunteering your time. I’ve been volunteering over 15 years in my local Basketball club, and here are some benefits I’ve come across:

Emotionally
Volunteering will help you to feel good about yourself. It will raise your spirits when you help others. Altruism has been proven to be a stabilizing factor in making people happier. The more you help other people, the better you will feel. There’s no better win-win situation to choose. The more optimistic you are, the longer you will live. So, with this in mind it’s important to consider volunteering.

Give yourself a Purpose
Just the very thought of being needed should be enough to boost your spirits. Whether the children have all grown and gone, you retired, or you simply have more time on your hands, you have an opportunity to volunteer and find a purpose in your life.

Boost our Resumé
If you’re currently laid off and need a job, volunteering will help to fill that gap in your resume. It’s also a great way to gain experience in a field that you eventually plan on getting paid for. It will keep your soft skills updated and provide you with a true sense of well being.

Build your Network
As you volunteer you’ll be meeting many people. Some of these people may have job positions that you can network your way into. These people will see you in action. They’ll see you at your best and how great your skills are. If you’re looking for a great job, start here and in time you’ll find that you have new opportunities and many of these opportunities may well lead you to your next job position.

Be a Role Model
Have you ever wanted to mentor a child? If so, you’re being a great role model. These children will see how you work together to help them. In time, they will look up to you and gain a sense of community and respect.

Volunteering will help you to learn to be kind, caring and show others warmth and respect through your skills. It will give you an opportunity to spend time with friends and family and help others.