Why Volunteering Is the Best Way to Boost Self-Esteem?

First, let’s understand what self-esteem really is. In terms of psychology, self-esteemed is defined as a person’s overall sense of personal value or self-worth.
Many people confuse it with confidence, which is wrong. While self-esteem and self-confidence go hand-in-hand, a person can be highly confident but have no self-esteem.
There are many ways to boost your self-esteem; volunteering is one of them. Let’s look at why volunteering is the best way to boost self-esteem.

It Promotes Interaction
Ask this to yourself. Who would have greater self-esteem? A person with no friends and contacts or a person with a lot of them?
The more you interact with others, the more your self-esteem grows. You become a part of the community, and people around you see you with respect and gratitude.
This, in turn, increases the feeling of self-worth, thereby increasing your self-esteem. The beautiful part of volunteering is that it’s effortless. You just need to help people and feel good about it. Self-esteem is the by-product.

It Gives You a Sense of Purpose
The lack of purpose is a major cause of low self-esteem. When you don’t know where your life’s headed, you’re likely to see yourself as worthless. This leads to low self-esteem.
When you help others and play a part in changing their lives, you get a sense of accomplishment and purpose. It helps you realize that you’ve brought a smile to someone’s face, that you’re worth something.

It Enables Distraction
In many cases, low self-esteem is due to a recent bad incident. Maybe, you suffered a bad break up, which caused your self-esteem to drop. Or perhaps, you were fired for no reason, which forced you to doubt your worth.
When you engage in volunteering, you shift the focus away from yourself. You get rid of the negative thoughts, which were catalyzing your low self-esteem.
By helping others, you pay attention to themselves and how you can make their lives better. This helps you deviate your mind from negativity and focus on positive things around you.

It Gives You a Sense of Importance
Helpless, disadvantaged people just want to be heard. Have you been in a conversation with a person who listened to your problems and understood what you were going through? If yes, then you would’ve automatically started considering the person as “important.”
The same occurs with helpless people. They’ve never had someone who could understand them and what they’re suffering. If you become that person, you’ll become an important part of their life. They’ll start looking upon you with respect and hope, which will boost your self-esteem.

Conclusion
When it comes to volunteering, boosting self-esteem isn’t the main goal. Neither is it to make connections and command respect. The primary purpose is to help people and make their lives better.
But as you follow the process selflessly, you start gaining purpose, friends, respect, and importance, which results in a higher self-esteem.
Don’t forget to check out Kanexon if you’re looking for volunteering opportunities in your area.