My Journey With Weight Loss – Helping Others Helps Me

I am so happy!!! Today was my 8k and the temperature was beautiful and mild. I only got a little bit of rain during the run and I am noticing it is getting lighter so much earlier. What a difference this made compared to the freezing cold of last week especially when I got to see several eagles. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed that run.

Today starts yet another round of volunteering for me. While I belong to Boards for various organizations, it is the community volunteer work that means so much to me. For a local seniors’ organization I currently call isolated seniors once a week, lead a group of seniors for a walk every Wednesday and today I started my 2nd year doing the Community Volunteer Income Tax Clinic. This one is easy for me, complete and file income tax for low income seniors.

But why would doing income tax be make me feel good? Simple, because just as I do during my calls or my walks I find the time to check in on my seniors to make sure they are doing ok. Often times when doing the taxes I learn a lot about the senior I am talking to. Sometimes they are just happy to have someone new to chat with. Other times they are lonely and need to hear a friendly voice. The hard ones are when they are dealing with a recent loss and having to admit they need to change their status to widowed brings up a lot of emotions for them. That is all ok, I just make sure I am there to listen to them as that is likely what they really need. The vast majority of them thank me profusely at the end of the call and I know I have done a good thing.

You know how I talk about I don’t get that runner’s ‘high’ but I do get a sense of accomplishment? Well, knowing I have made a difference does give me a ‘high’. It makes me feel really great about myself knowing I might have made even a small bit of difference to someone’s life. That just really makes me feel better on my worst day.

Trust me, helping others helps me feel I am doing the right thing.