WAC Magazine

November/December 2013

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Wellness By Joyce Major Lend a hand and feel great A s it turns out, helping others is very smart indeed. There is an abundance of research data that now confirms what Spinoza, a philosopher of more than 300 years ago, knew: Each time we help someone else our own physiology is strengthened, thus making us feel better. Random acts of kindness—and most altruistic behaviors—have been shown to benefit the giver in significant ways. Not only do charitable activities improve your immune system, mental health, and longevity, but people who behave benevolently also may actually have more gray matter at the temporal and parietal lobe junction. This is all good news for me because I love helping people. I also love to travel, meet new people, and experience new cultures. This month's Wellness article is about both—traveling and helping—and the advantages they yield. Find out how a volunteer travel experience could be just what the doctor ordered. C O U RT E S Y J O Y C E M A J O R ( 3 ) Tamela Thomas, Wellness Manager tamelat@wac.net 206.464.4639 Clockwise from left: Joyce Major at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand; with fellow clown volunteers in Ecuador; volunteering with orphans in Ukraine. The volunteer prescription Discover the world and better health through global volunteering A s I walked to the river with 15 rescued elephants, their mahouts, and other volunteers, I felt awestruck and frightened at the same time. The elephant parade advanced into the water, where the giant animals rolled gleefully, submerged their trunks, and sent long sprays of water arcing through the air. For a moment, just before entering the river with a bucket and scrub brush, I questioned my judgment. Each of these elephants had been rescued from some kind of horror. One had been drugged with amphetamines and forced to work long days and nights. Another had his tusks chain-sawed off by ivory thieves, leaving him with a horrid infection. I hoped to help. The Elephant Nature Park in northern Thailand is a sanctuary for rescued elephants. As a volunteer there, I learned about the elephants' problems, fed them, and cleaned up after them. Believe me, nothing prepares you for getting up-close and personal with every aspect of an elephant. Still, it wasn't the animals themselves that affected me most. Through traveling the world, meeting new people, and helping various philanthropic projects, I have found a deep sense of connection I never before knew. By volunteering, I not only have brought happiness to others, but I also have had a profound and lasting impact on my own well-being. Maybe more important, what I have found is purpose and happiness. 22 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2013

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