When you complete any kind of Challenge in life, you feel great. It's chemical because those good old reward hormones flood the brain and make you feel on top of the world. But have you ever considered the added benefits of participating in a Charity Challenge?
Charity challenges are events or activities you sign up for to raise money for a worthwhile cause. The Challenge can be anything from a daily walk to a skydive, growing a moustache (Movember) or jumping into an ice bath.
When we help others, we feel good that we've contributed positively to the world around us. In fact, one of life's greatest joys lies in helping others. A simple yet powerful way we can do this is by taking on a charity challenge. Getting involved in a charity challenge doesn't just help the cause we support; it also has a knock-on beneficial effect on our well-being.
So why is taking on a charity challenge so good for us humans?
1. Sense of Purpose
Signing up for a charity challenge gives us a sense of purpose beyond our own front door. We get to contribute to a cause way more significant than ourselves. When we know our effort is making a difference to someone, we stay the course because it's not about our achievement; it's about something else altogether. This sense of purpose can really fill your cup and change how you see the world.
Nick Vroomans, a Buddy Up event leader in WA, commented-
"The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said that the essence of life is 'to serve others and do good'. Once I realised that, my life outside of the ADF changed for the better."
2. Resilience
Charity challenges often push us out of our comfort zone. I'm sure you can think of your friends who've run marathons or trekked in the Himalayas. But remember, a charity challenge needn't be mammoth or physical. Anything that gets you doing things differently or more consciously will have the same positive effect. When we conquer the Challenge, our self-belief is boosted, and we become more resilient. We're mentally stronger, which means we trust ourselves to manage anything life throws our way.
3. Well-being
Taking on a charity challenge means you're helping others, which profoundly affects your well-being. Here comes the science - the act of giving stimulates the reward centre in the brain, which releases feel-good hormones. As a result, you feel happier and more connected to others. Even better, when you help others, research shows that your stress levels fall, and you feel able to cope with life's ups and downs.
4. Connection
When you take on a charity challenge, you'll often find the charity will set up a way to meet or chat online with fellow participants. This means you get to connect with like-minded
people – people who are committed to the same cause as you. Straight away, you have a shared value, and that's a great way to start a friendship. Those connections will keep you motivated and inspired if the Challenge gets tough.
5. Growth
Often, a charity challenge involves doing something you've never done before. Doing new things is good for us because it inspires our creativity and keeps us open to more flexible ways of thinking. And when we step outside our comfort zone, our brain remembers it as a rewarding experience that encourages us to keep doing new things. Completion of the charity challenge is a great personal milestone and something we should reflect on with a fond sense of accomplishment.
"It's a very simple way to give back to our community, and the sense of achievement from volunteering for such a fantastic cause is empowering."
Shane Dimech, Chapter Leader, Sunshine Coast QLD
Finally
Charity challenges are a powerful way to contribute to the lives of others . Fundamentally, they are about giving but - by doing good we get to feel good too. Taking on a challenge gives us a great sense of purpose, and it’s even better because we get to hang out with like-minded people. Our wellbeing gets a boost while we build resilience and expand our self-belief. A truly win-win situation.
These days, taking part in a charity challenge is so simple. In fact if you’d like some details on our very first national Challenge for 2023, click on the link.
