When we switch our calendars over to a new year, we tend to do so in a flurry of inspiration of all of the things we are going to do to better ourselves for the year to come. Lose weight. Eat healthier. Save more money. Quit smoking. While any new year’s resolution is a positive way to stay a new year, we tend to be pretty selfish when it comes to it. No matter what your resolution is, volunteering can help you stick to your goal and make a positive impact not only on your life but on the lives of others as well.
So you made a resolution to lose weight in 2012? Going to the gym will help but let’s face it, going to the gym is a tedious activity when you in live in a city as beautiful as San Diego. Especially on weekends when you actual have the time to enjoy the sun. So go to the gym during the week as often as you can and take the opportunity to volunteer with the San Diego Beach Cleanups on the weekend. Three weekends a month, the Surfrider Foundation organizes cleanups around the county. Volunteering with the Beach Cleanups gives you the opportunity to trek around a local beach for 4 hours while you are not only exercising, but you are also helping keep our beaches clean.
Was your resolution this year to eat healthier or stop an unhealthy habit like smoking? The best way to stick a resolution like this is by educating yourself. Understanding the reasons your body needs proper nutrition or the effects that habits like smoking or drinking have on your body are key to a person’s ability and desire to change. Consider volunteering with a national organization such as the American Heart Association or the YMCA or local organizations like Living in Harmony or UCSD’s Hearts in Hands. These organizations provide the opportunity for you to not only learn about the resolution you’ve made for yourself but also help build a supportive environment for you to succeed. You are able to learn, share your knowledge with others who need help and also keep yourself busy in a positive activity.
In truth, any volunteer activity will help you stick to your resolutions that you have made for yourself. Keeping yourself busy with something that you know is positive, keeps your mind falling back to the cigarette or that burger that you hear calling you. The feeling you get from doing a selfless activity is its own addiction, yet opposed to smoking or eating unhealthy, it’s an addiction without any negative side-effects. So supplement your resolution with a volunteer activity; you’re sure to succeed even if your resolution fails.