5 Ways to Give Back this Holiday Season
‘Tis the season for giving! This time of year, people generally focus on shopping for the perfect gifts for their friends and family. However, some of the best gifts are not wrapped in a box, they are wrapped in love by simply helping others.
The act of helping others brings joy, happiness and meaning to life, while lessening the focus on personal struggles and negativity. By helping others, we help ourselves.
Here are five ways you and your loved ones can actively help make the holiday season a little brighter for others:
1. Help your community
Reach out to community centers and local organizations to find ways to strengthen the community, whether it’s helping collect food and clothes for the homeless, making care packages for hospital patients, contributing to a community paper or helping people register to vote. The volunteer opportunities are endless and the reward is an even greater sense of community and purpose.
2. Help children
Participate in holiday toy drives by collecting gifts, wrapping presents and/or delivering them to children in need. Or, work with schools, daycares, churches or community centers to participate in hands-on activities with children, such as reading books to them and making holiday crafts with them. Being around children is a gift in itself.
3. Help animals
Contact your local animal rescue shelters and ask them how you can make a difference in animals’ lives. Often times, shelters are looking for volunteers and donations. Some wish list items are as basic as lightly used towels and blankets. “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” ― Anatole France
4. Help the environment
Help protect and save the environment for future generations by volunteering at a community garden, park or wildlife preserve, help plant flowers or a vegetable garden in the community, or even give your time to raise awareness for environmentally focused causes.
5. Help other seniors
Lend a helping hand and heart to other seniors by assisting them with social, physical and/or emotional support. Organize a fun, social outing, take a walk together or volunteer at a senior living community/organization.
There is no greater gift than the gift of love. Open your hearts and arms this holiday season and enjoy all the love that will come back to you and your loved ones! Happy Holidays!
Natalie Drugan
Natalie Drugan is a nutrition and lifestyle health coach. Natalie is dedicated to helping others make healthy choices centered on clean food, toxic-free environments and happy living. Natalie received her nutrition health coaching certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC, the world’s largest nutrition school. As a Certified Nutrition Health Coach, she studied over 100 dietary theories and learned from world-renowned experts and doctors including Andrew Weil, MD, Walter Willet, MD, Mark Hyman, MD and Deepak Chopra, MD. Natalie is board certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). Additionally, Natalie received her BBA in Marketing from Texas A&M University.