What motivates one to continue to volunteer at 7 Cups?
Today, I need your help with an important question that got me thinking. Help me think more about it.
Note: Before I share more, please note that the sole purpose of this thread is to get insights about the subject, so that our collective understanding may develop.
So the question is:
What motivates one to continue to volunteer at 7 Cups?
An ideal answer would perhaps sound like this: It brings me joy to see people feel better through my presence and my work. I genuinely want to help and make a difference in lives. That makes me continue. I care. That's why I continue.
If the above is the reason, there is nothing more beautiful than that. And in fact, I deeply believe this helping and caring spirit is the breath and soul of 7 Cups. This is why we (our cups community) exist, this is why we thrive and continue to evolve as a wonderful platform - a gift to humanity.
Here is a concern:
For some, whether they are fully aware of it or not, the reason is not helping. But the points, the streaks, the badges, and the cheers -these external (and may I say, artificial) rewards are the motivation. These rewards are the tempting traps keeping them hooked to the site. A part of them wants to be free and leave 7cups altogether, yet they can't, for their mind does not allow them to.
If the above is the motivation why some of us continue to volunteer at 7cups, then we must reflect on it. Simply because not only it's harmful to the ones we support but harmful to the supporters too. The supporter is sort of pretending to be a supporter, whereas the underlying motivation is really the points and rewards they get. The underlying motivation is personal glory. And this, overall, makes us feel helplessly trapped on the site. The site becomes suffocating rather than being something beautiful and freeing.
Here I am. I need your help. Not saying my thinking is right or wrong, not saying that the concern I raised above is valid or not, but I just shared this thought which troubled me today. And I need clarity about it. I need us to think together and arrive at a collective understanding so that we may be more together, more connected, and more beautiful as a community.
Thanks! Over to you!
@Fristo
The beginning of my story here:
I joined Cups in May 2022 as a member. It was a time when I was fighting wars with myself. When I joined Cups and had my first conversation with a listener, I really couldn't explain how much it meant to have someone listen to me without even the teensiest bit of judgement.. And someone listened to me; they listened to understand me! That was when I realized how good it feels to have your need to be heard, fulfilled. I think calling it just "good" is an understatement.. But at the moment, I really don't have any word to describe how I felt.
Arrow becomes a listener!
In my healing journey, I realized that nothing in this world makes me happier than spreading smiles and making a person feel emotionally safe. The feeling I experienced after I had someone hear me out with patience and no judgement; I wanted more people to feel that way. I wanted more people to realize that they can talk about their feelings without fearing judgement. I wanted them to experience that indescribable feeling of relief. It was a safe space that I wanted to provide to people, and Cups fulfilled it for me.. I became a listener as a part of my healing journey.. I realized that helping others heal, heals a part within me too.. I cannot explain the amount of joy it brings when I see how happy a person feels, because of me.. I cannot thank this community enough to have helped me do that..
My journey as a listener began there.. The happiness that I believe I bring to the people here, the love I've spread which has been acknowledged, motivates me to stay. I don't think I will ever find an emotionally safe environment as this, ever in my life. To me, 7 Cups is not just a "site"; it's a community, a family, it's home. Kindness and Love, that's our mother tongue.
I meet such wonderful people on here, everyday. I get to share what's on my mind, I get to hear so many stories.. I feel validated at times when I'm unsure.. The place where I know it's okay to be me and no body is going to judge me for it, the place where I know I will be heard. The place where I realize that I'm not a "Nobody". Here, I'm Arrow, the Cupid's Arrow.. I spread love💘
This community has also taught me to become a better person. If I ever had to write a "thank you" note to this community and the people, I would find it extremely hard to conclude it. As you can see, this post itself is quite long..! And all I was asked was to share what motivates me.😛 But any ways, I decided to express at least a fraction of my gratitude here.😁
Hahaha I shall wrap this up here, my answer.
Sending a truck-load of love and hugs to everyonee..!🤗💕
~~Arroww :)
@CompassionateArrow "To me, 7 Cups is not just a "site"; it's a community, a family, it's home. Kindness and Love, that's our mother tongue." -Inspiring and sounds true, that's the way we are or strive to be. With Arrow and the likes of Arrow, it becomes easy to share the mother tongue of kindness and love 🤗
@Fristo
Thank you for sharing.
I will support the people with mental health and continue to work with the people in the future.
I've had a pretty rough life... I don't want people to feel the pain I did... Yeah, it's that simple
@Fristo What motivates one to continue to volunteer at 7 Cups?
Love.
Any other motivation isn't permanent.