The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Volunteer work promotes happiness for all people, whether they’ve involved in a relationship or not. Being in a long-term relationship means you’re already comfortable sharing your life with someone. You’re comfortable with the idea of compromise, working together and communicating. But, as you settle into a long-term relationship, it’s easy to reach a place where you both feel stagnant and complacent.
Healthy couples actively work at strengthening their relationship, through making time to talk and be together. Scheduling time to volunteer together will help build companionship through a meaningful, shared experience and give you common interests to talk about.
Strive to take your relationship to the next level by giving back to your local community and getting involved in enriching the lives of others. Volunteering is good for your well-being, relieves stress and breaks the rut of ruminating about your own problems
Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart ~Elizabeth Andrew
Many regular volunteers report that it has increased their overall life satisfaction—at the end of the day, they feel they’ve done something more significant than meeting a deadline or folding the laundry. They’ve looked outside their own lives to help someone else who really needs it, if only in the smallest of ways, while gaining a greater sense of understanding of the world around them.
No one wants to think about volunteering as a way to meet their own needs, but there’s nothing wrong with feeling better about yourself while helping others. And, when it comes back around to relationships, feeling better about yourself and gaining a new sense of confidence in your ability to be of service is probably going to make you a more pleasant person for your partner to be around.
You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give ~Winston Churchill
The popular catchphrase is “getting out of your own head,” and your newfound empathy for a homeless family, a child in need of mentoring or others could even spill over and become a habit in all of your relationships—especially your spouse or partner. Simply put, anything that improves your mood and perspective is bound to improve the relationship.
