How Do Introverts Benefit From Volunteering - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How Do Introverts Benefit From Volunteering - Introvert Whisperer How Do Introverts Benefit From Volunteering? Kayla Matthews April 24, 2018 Adaptability, Career Development, Communication No responses Go to top No matter your age, you will at some point in your life likely hear that you should sign up for volunteer opportunities. The reason will usually vary depending on the age group, but the benefits might look similar. High schoolers learn that volunteer experience looks great on college applications, and college students are informed that volunteering can buff out a resume if they don’t have a lot of job experience. The benefits of volunteering go beyond how you can use it to impress people on an application or a resume, but they’re especially hard for introverts to grasp. For those who struggle with talking to strangers or making new friends, the idea of volunteering can seem like a terrifying experience. It’s why so many introverts hold back and don’t volunteer at all, or they do it once and decide never to try it again. In reality, there are so many great things that introverts can get out of volunteering. Once you give yourself that last little push, you’ll find yourself in a position where you can make a real difference in the world. No matter how much anxiety you get before or during the process of volunteering, you’ll love seeing yourself grow every time you try. Read about some of the benefits you can receive from volunteering and then find a way to give back to your local community. 1. Challenge Yourself Introverts typically have a routine down to help them get through each day. Not every introvert can spend all their time alone, so at the end of a long day of school or work, you might like to recharge by curling up with a movie or book. You may not feel comfortable raising your hand in class or speaking up in a meeting, but you might find you feel different when you’re a part of a volunteer group. The dynamics are different and present a new challenge to introverts used to knowing what to expect. 2. Increase Communication Skills A big part of making a volunteer opportunity a success revolves around making sure the group of people you volunteer with all know how to communicate. Each volunteer works as an equally important piece to getting a project done, so if communication isn’t good, the whole operation could fall apart. Introverts in volunteer environments improve their communication skills each time they volunteer because of how vital it is for every volunteer to remain on the same page to accomplish a goal. 3. Boost Confidence When you see someone who needs help and you aid them, it’s a major confidence boost to know you were capable enough to improve someone’s quality of life. This is especially true when you volunteer with animals since they can’t help themselves. Once you see a dog or cats face light up from a little extra love and attention, your confidence will shoot through the roof! Try to volunteer at a local animal shelter and start from there, since it’s a good middle ground for introverts. 4. Create New Passions Without volunteering, you might never get to try something that ends up becoming a passion of yours. Without serving food to the homeless or helping animals get adopted, you may never know a part of yourself. Even volunteering just one time will show you if you like to serve others and give back, which could potentially change how you chart your life. Find a philanthropic platform to support local communities and discover new interests. It’s worth giving it a try a couple times to see what you could learn about yourself. 5. Make Personal Connections Another reason why volunteering helps introverts is that you can meet people and hear their stories without the added pressure that comes from feeling like you’re forced to make friends. When you give your time to a local homeless shelter, you’ll bond with people with the most incredible stories. They’ll draw out your curiosity and you’ll strike up conversations without even realizing it. Those personal connections will help you grow as a person and continue volunteering in the future. 6. Bloom New Friendships Of course, you’ll also make friends with whoever is in your volunteer group. Not that everyone you meet has to become your next best friend, but you’ll bond over the work you do and get to see everyone regularly. These kinds of friendships are the opposite of the forced bonding that happens in the classroom or work setting, so you’ll warm up to the idea of making friends and end up looking forward to seeing them every time you head back to volunteer. 7. Introduce Leadership Opportunities Some businesses in your community will offer volunteer positions that introduce leadership opportunities. You get to learn something, meet new people and have leadership opportunities that might impress the right people. Showing that you can lead even one or two people to accomplish something could land you an interview or provide connections to further those skills. 8. Open up Stepping Stones Many people will tell you how volunteering will help your career, but it can lead you to other places too. As an introvert, you might not picture yourself taking any big trips, but the character development you’ll receive from volunteering could lead you to volunteer while you travel abroad. You’ll continue building on those same skills while adventuring in a new place. Volunteering could lead you almost anywhere, so why not step outside your comfort zone and try it? Volunteering and being an introvert may not sound like they go together, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Spending your time volunteering can help develop you as a person, even if you consider yourself a major introvert. Communication and leadership skills will develop while you have fun, and it won’t take long before you can feel the changes in yourself. The key is to try different types of volunteering to see which one is right for you, and then make it a routine so you continually grow. Go to top Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.  Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer