50+ community Weekend Check-in April 16-18, 2021
Happy Friday to all of you 
Everyone's path to contentment is different. One thing that consistently tends to make life happier and more fulfilling is volunteering. It is a hugely valuable and rewarding experience for the volunteers and the communities they support. People who engage in altruistic activities like charity work report a greater sense of purpose and meaning in their lives. It does not necessarily mean signing up for a long-term job, there are many things we can do to help others. Our generosity is hard-wired to the reward mechanisms in our brains. When we give our time, energy and kindness to others it not only helps them, it's also great for our wellbeing too.
If you had the opportunity to do a volunteer job in your real life what would it be?
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@amiablePeace77, I was volunteering at the local botanic gardens. Unfortunately, since starting 2 part time jobs, I have been working 6 days per week, and I simply don't have the energy to volunteer on the 7th day of the week. As soon as I move, I am going to ask my boss at one of the jobs to reduce my days to 4. That will leave me working 1 day at the other job and the 6th day of the week I can volunteer again. Then I'll still have one day off. Yay.
@purpleTree4652
It's understandable that you can't do volunteering whilst already doing 2 jobs. You need some rest and time just for yourself too! I hope you will get that 4 days work 🤞. Botanci garden sounds amazing, it would be one of my favorites too 
I would love for people who have been filled with anxiety and stress to know there is a way back, have faith that they can feel the weight lifted and feel life is to be cherished. Being grateful for every day we can be on this earth and our journey...
@placidPlum319
Thank you for sharing this beautiful message. Sadly millions of people around the world suffer from anxiety and feel hopeless. I hope the people who reach out to this site will feel some relief and support. Having gratitude in your life does change a lot for sure.
All through the Pandemic I have been teaching underprivileged kids online 1-1. It's so overwhelming to see how bright and eager to learn they are. This volunteering work gives me boundless satisfaction.
@RideaRainbow That’s awesome, Ridea! Thank you for the work you do. I’m sure that the kids are extremely grateful to you ❤️
I am grateful to them for giving me a chance to spread education
@RideaRainbow way to go!
@amiablePeace77
If you had the opportunity to do a volunteer job in your real life what would it be?
I would like to do one of two things:
1. volunteer at a senior facility- some seniors are there and may not have family close by, so spending some time with them and hearing their life stories may have them feel their not alone. Play cards or just sit and watch t.v.
2. volunteer at a shelter for pets. spend time playing with them and making them feel wanted when they were abandoned read or just hold them tight and sing to them
@pamharley003
You have a very big heart! Just having someone at their side can make such a difference to seniors and animals too.
If you had the opportunity to do a volunteer job in your real life what would it be? I would volunteer in a music store.
@Offmytrack
Sounds like fun, remember you mentioned once that music makes you feel good so that would be a great place to be
@amiablePeace77
I am taking my guitar and a songbook with me. I am going camping.
@Offmytrack
Hope you have a great time! 
@amiablePeace77
We had a very great time. We played and sang for friends of ours, we went hiking on looooong hikes.
@Offmytrack
Wonderful Offmytrack!
@amiablePeace77
i would do an outreach to spread he word about 7cups! I would hand out grilled hotdogs and spread the words of peace and hope!!! Who's with me?
@Misty72
Yay, sounds amazing! I'm with you for sure but hey can I bring vegan hotdogs? 
@amiablePeace77
I really wanted to volunteer with the American Diabetes Assoc. I flled out the required forms, and did all the rest. I even waited a while and did it all again. I felt it was somewhere that I had plenty of knowledge about, could be a great asset to them, had great office experiece when I was working the last years. They just never even contacted me, and of coure I never found out way. Some volunteer postions they wanted required more full time committement. I even tried for those positions. I do beive that they did find out about my mental health disabilites and did not want me or consider me to be what they could maybe rely on. I did want that bad and felt so qualified for all of the volunteer positions.
I have not found another place yet, to volunteer for, with my physical and psychological problems. my psysical limitations do not allow me to do many of the volunteer jobs. i would still like to volunteer and feel it would be good and nice and helpful for others and for myself. i feel I have and want to give a lot to others and this bothers me that i have been turned down for so many volunteer jobs. i want to do good for others and be useful to them.
@Amelia2324
Please don't let this stop you from trying to find a place where you can help others. Being rejected in a job can be frustrating but there will be a place for you where people will be very happy to have you and which will accommodate your needs. Have you considered to become a volunteer listener on this site?
@amiablePeace77 If you had the opportunity to do a volunteer job in your real life what would it be?
Well I guess I am prejudice by almost 6 years here, so for me the answer is volunteer at 7cups.
@soulsings
Yay for 7cups volunteer work soul 
If you had the opportunity to do a volunteer job in your real life what would it be?
I've been considering volunteer work and I'm not sure what to do or where. Soup kitchens have been suggested but there's too much human interaction there. I want some interaction but not that much yet.
@WharfRat
Helping the less fortunate is really nice, so many people are needed to help. What about food pantries, doing the boxing of food or volunteering in a library?
@amiablePeace77 I turned my home into an open source internet cafe ( I am in South Africa ) and was teaching locals in my small town basic computer skills, helped artists to put their art work online, helped small businesses to design their logos, business cards etc. . With time this job turned into more like being a mom to many. It was a rewarding time but was also quite tiring ( also because I am not a South African originally and went through a huge culture shock - being a Hungarian. )
@AshaShanti
You did a wonderful thing for those people. Learning computer skills is so helpful in today's times but I can see that it can be exhausting, providing the space, doing the classes, maybe even listening to the problems people face and having to cope with your own challenges. A culture shock can be serious, hugs Do you feel you're out of it now?
@amiablePeace77 aw thanks <3 The culture shock never really goes away - but things get easier. It is quite a tough thing to move to the other side of the world. No matter how hard things get - helping and supporting other people are important and a very healing experience too.
@AshaShanti
I hear you AshaShanti, helping others, listening to their challenges makes mine so much smaller too and gives a sense of meaning in life.
