Do you volunteer? What might be some scenarios one can participate in if suffering from aspects of a lowered self esteem...Hmmm...bush-beating don't cut it...listen...

Right now I don't feel comf with loud gregarious people or busy surroundings...some anxiety issues at times...enough to keep me from participating as a citizen...as someone participating in LIFE. Really want to be involved right now with community on some level...but maybe fairly low key.

Playing the surly one is a pretty boring limited role...and while it serves to protect ones faltering ego...it has a shelf life. That story gets old quick...and offers NO progress. I have things to offer...not as much as i could...but I have some.

Quiet style benevolence...anyone doing a job who might feel as I do? Thanks

[wife22]

volunteering for Thanksgiving for homeless is low key enough. Homeless and poor are not very social and don't really start a conversation,they are just happy to be fed in warm place. Same goes for Christmas .Depending where you live you can find volunteer centers for autistic kids,who are not the best socialites either,but extremely appreciative:you may get the info from children's hospitals or online.
HUmans are born to communicate,seclusion equals defeat.You have more to offer to people then you suspect .Get out there and share/enjoy this unique roller coaster of emotions :desire and fear,joy and sadness,happiness....which we call life.I am not the most social person,unless approached,but i try
best wishes

[Citrine]

Excellent ideas from Wife22 there, I was going to say the same. I too want to volunteer because I dont get to be as nice or as genuine in my life as Id like. I need to choose something that my physical help is more important than talking because I just cant be doing with the small talk and the judging and the personality contests. I have enough of that and suffering secretly from depression and anxiety I have zero tolerance for another situation. Apart from the suggestions above theres also helping clean environmentally such as canals and parks. Exercise, fresh air, no need for chit chat. If you like the outdoors, that could be a good one for you.

[jadzea]

I volunteer at the area agency on aging. One thing I do is transcribe music for a blind lady who cannot read it the way it is printed. I send her information on the computer that is transcribed into brail so she can use it. It sounds hard and complicated but it is not.

I just recently started visiting a lonely older woman once a week. She has nobody to talk to so I go see her and we talk about whatever she wants. I enjoy my time with her so far.

This organization also asks volunteer to grocery shop for shut ins. The person makes a list of what they want, the agency calls the order into the store and the volunteer goes and picks it up and delivers it. They also have people who will pick people up at their house to drive them to appointments. I'm sure they have other needs. These are just the ones I know of.

[Nicks_Nose]

I have assisted in employment centres with adults who had learning challenges and had to do basic learning courses to qualify for some work placements. I assisted them in small groups with basic math or language skills.

I have cooked meals for groups meeting once a week in an organization

Another option I did was visiting for one hour a week with seniors on a floor just to socialize and play chess or cards.

I have heard of people volunteering to shovel a senior's driveway if it snows, or to pick something up for a person if they are house bound.

Just a thought or two.

[Little Lulu]

I volunteer in a soup kitchen and in a clinic for people without health insurance. There are volunteer positions at both of those facilities that are not in the line of fire (on the quiet side). While I am there the time flies and I am not so self-involved.

[00642]

I volunteer at an animal sanctuary and volunteers are always needed really for dog walking and things like that.
I like it because I prefer animals to people anyway and find it really therapeutic. Dogs are a much better judge of character than people - I figure if a dog likes you, you can't be all bad
A lot of the time, I do get really anxious about it but once I'm there, I'm absolutely fine. There's nothing quite like coming home, filthy and caked in muddy paw prints and doggy kisses!
It's great because there's no pressure - you can put in as much or as little time as you want. Even if you just want to walk one dog and then go home - it's got you out of the house and it's got the dog out of the kennel.
Quite low key as well but it depends on if you like animals really and if there's a shelter near you.

[Hope-Full]

I echo everyone's suggestions, and was also going to add an animal shelter. You get to enjoy the animals company without the pressure of conversation.

[TatorTot]

United Way plug in your zip code on the top right and it will give you a full menu of volunteer jobs from diff agencies.

[hannabee]

LibriVox needs people to read books for the public domain library. it is done from home

[DocClyde]

I've done hospice care--went and read stuff to people in nursing homes. They really enjoyed my time, and I hated when they passed, but I wouldn't of took the time back for anything.

[Grey Matter]

I worked as a volunteer for a crisis center hotline. The work, as someone who is mentally ill, was draining at times. But it gave me such empowerment to bring people comfort and to let them no they are never alone. I took a free class in my city and then was put into the program. They truly do amazing work.

Thank you all for responding. We have an SPCA shelter and that cause is something that tugs at me. Enough to have me inquire...There is also a list posted at our hospital that is being forwarded to me. Civic volunteer ops as well as health-care related. There Also a food centre and greenhouse just opened up here...helping support families with challenges...this sounds very interesting as well. Not spoken to anyone there yet...so easy to avoid this stuff...but once going I'm thinking things would improve with the anxiety? Xing-digits. Just need something mellow to start...100mph?...well that can come later. *smile*

The Librivox idea was quite different! Thank you...the whole idea is a great thing...keeps these forgotten books from dying too.

[nycgal448]

Originally Posted by wife22

volunteering for Thanksgiving for homeless is low key enough. Homeless and poor are not very social and don't really start a conversation,they are just happy to be fed in warm place. Same goes for Christmas .Depending where you live you can find volunteer centers for autistic kids,who are not the best socialites either,but extremely appreciative:you may get the info from children's hospitals or online.
HUmans are born to communicate,seclusion equals defeat.You have more to offer to people then you suspect .Get out there and share/enjoy this unique roller coaster of emotions :desire and fear,joy and sadness,happiness....which we call life.I am not the most social person,unless approached,but i try
best wishes

I would love to actually do that someday. It will inspire u, to b very
thankful for what we have... but they don't for whatever reason, and
it will warm a person' s heart.

[chunkymonkey555]

The volunteering where people interact with you on a basic level is a good start, i volunteer often at a small theater as a usher and i get to help people around and most everyone involved is pleasant and it will prob higher your self being, because people depend on you in a way and that could make someone feel more worthwhile.

[NWgirl2013]

I have done a lot of volunteering over the years, soup kitchens, etc. My favorite, the one that gave me a lot of joy was at a local hospital. I did various things but the assignment I liked best was working in the cancer treatment center where people came to get their chemo. Sounds grim I know, but it wasn't at all. I could be in a deep depression, feeling pretty awful about my own circumstances & go there and be so uplifted by the spirits of the people I 'did for'. What did I do? Assisted the nurses mostly, wiped things down between patients, brought them & anyone who was with them food, drink, blankets & pillows, stuff to read. Smiled & was friendly. I wasn't required to be chatty which was great, I could just quietly work, was appreciated and felt needed. A great fit for me.

[Raging Quiet]

I volunteered at a counselling charity for years and at a NHS CBT centre. I got a lot out of volunteering, it's like ticking that extra box in your life.

[Dan208]

I have been a volunteer firefighter for 11 years. Lately my anxiety has been making it hard for me to be as involved as I used to be, but it's something that I'm trying to work on.

[MuseumGhost]

I'm sure that wherever you choose to put your name in, Quiz, that they would be most grateful for you doing it around the Holidays, especially, as so many agencies are naturally pressed to find available staff at those times.

Wishing you the best of everything, whatever you choose.