Healing through volunteering

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many of us are feeling disconnected and disheartened. The usual ways that we have to connect with one another aren’t available or are drastically different from what we’re used to. We’ve had to adjust to how we show support and caring, how we express gratitude, and how we take care of ourselves and each other.

It’s easy to allow all that adjustment to turn into anxiety. There is surely enough uncertainty that most of us are feeling anxious and worried. Humans are hardwired to come together during times of crisis. We step in to help our neighbors, friends, community, and fellow humans. What happens when the crisis affects all of us?

Many have expressed feeling lost during this time. Instincts to reach out and connect come up against the need to stay apart. While many of our normal ways to show support aren’t available, there are so many ways that are. In fact, helping others during our own times of stress helps us heal and find a sense of security.

Here at Sacred Cycle we wanted to offer suggestions for how you can show your support for your community while staying safe. Here are just a few ideas:

• Connect: Call friends or family, check in on vulnerable neighbors. Offering a kind listening ear can work wonders.
• Help the environment: Up your recycling game at home or do a trash cleanup on your local trails.
• Volunteer: Many nonprofits offer the option to volunteer from home, including Sacred Cycle! Click here for our current volunteer opportunities.
• Donate: Nonprofits continue to provide integral services to their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fundraising events are put on hold, drastically reducing budgets for programming and service delivery. Donations will help keep these services up and running.

You might be surprised by how much helping others and volunteering improves your mood, mental health, and mindset. We can’t wait to be back on the trails this summer, helping our clients and communities heal.