Fallen off the detox wagon already? Given up learning French? Or writing that book? Yes, New Year’s resolutions are hard to stick to. But, if you really want to be better, happier and more fulfilled in 2011, the answer is volunteering.
As the wonderful Oliver Burkeman says: ‘Donating your time is one of the most reliable short cuts to happiness, reduced stress levels and enhanced physical health.’ He also extols the effects of volunteering on levels of oxytocin, known as ‘the love hormone’, which makes us more confident and provides that warm, fuzzy feeling that Allan Luks called the Helper’s High.
Baffled by how to go about it? Well, a good place to start is www.do-it.org.uk, a fantastic site that makes volunteering easy. Whether it’s teaching computer skills to the elderly, working in an Oxfam book shop or driving a minibus for disabled children — they have opportunities for everyone.
So now you have no excuse: you can be a better person in 2011. Just do it.
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