5 Reasons Your New Year’s Resolution Should Include Volunteering

The new year is a time for new resolutions. Instead of pledging to drink less caffeine or start using that gym
membership you bought last January, why not take on a resolution that is both sustainable and beneficial to your
health?

Volunteer work is the new health regimen. A recent study conducted by Harvard University has shown that those
who take part in regular volunteer work have similar health benefits to
those who exercise regularly. Physicians have even added volunteering
to their list of recommendations for all patients.

If that's not enough to convince you, here are five more benefits to get
you on the volunteering track for 2017.

1. Happiness: Volunteer work has been shown to increase endorphins, a
hormone in the nervous system that causes an analgesic effect when
activated. Volunteers often experience this and have an overall feeling
of happiness.

2. More time: People who donate their efforts to a good cause often feel as if they have more spare time afterwards.
So even if your schedule is full, make time to help others.

3. New skills: You can volunteer in whatever field interests you, from lending a hand at your local soup kitchen to
helping a charity with graphic design or event planning. Volunteering
allows you to learn new and exciting skill sets that can prove useful later
in life.

4. Less stress: Similar to the happiness provided by endorphins,
volunteer work has been shown to decrease stress. It provides an outlet
away from a busy life and leaves people feeling accomplished and
stress-free.

5. Weight Loss: A recent study in a pediatrics academic journal showed
that teenagers who volunteer showed significant over all weight loss and
better cholesterol levels than those who did not. Volunteering may actually help sustain and quicken your
health goals this year.

If volunteer work seems like a good resolution for you, check out Toronto-based charity Beautiful World Canada.
Working with partners in Uganda, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone, this organization provides scholarships for girls to
obtain post-secondary education. This helps women graduate with a better chance of finding employment and
allows them to focus on bettering themselves and their community. Find more information at www.beautifulworld.org.