Mental health can make even the simplest tasks feel overwhelming. For me, living with anxiety, depression, and ADHD means there is no quick fix or basic solution. Some days I feel motivated, productive, and excited about what lies ahead. Other days, just getting out of bed feels like an accomplishment. My mind races with anxious thoughts, and the hobbies and activities I normally enjoy suddenly feel impossible to start.
Over time, I have learned that improving my mental health is not about finding one miracle solution. Instead, it is about building small habits that work together to help me through difficult days. Therapy, medication, support from loved ones, and self-care have all played important roles in my journey. One of the most unexpected and meaningful parts of that journey has been my involvement with nonprofits.
When most people think about volunteering or working with a nonprofit, they think about helping others. While that is true, I discovered something I was not expecting. By serving others, I was also helping myself.
One of the hardest parts of struggling with mental health is the feeling of isolation. Anxiety convinces you that every problem is bigger than it really is, while depression whispers that nothing you do matters. It is easy to become trapped in those thoughts.
When I show up to my internship with the Reds Community Fund or volunteer for another nonprofit, something shifts. My attention moves away from my own worries and toward the people I am serving. Whether I am helping organize an event, working with children, or supporting a community initiative, my focus changes from what I am struggling with to how I can make someone else’s day a little better. My anxiety does not magically disappear, but for a while, it becomes quieter. That mental break is something I never realized I needed until I experienced it. Nonprofit work has also given me something that anxiety and depression often try to take away: purpose.
As a college student balancing school, work, internships, and relationships, it is easy to compare myself to everyone around me. Social media makes it seem like everyone else has their lives perfectly planned, while I am still trying to figure things out. During those moments, it is easy to believe that my worth depends on my grades, accomplishments, or future career.
Volunteering reminds me that my value is not measured by a resume or a GPA. It is measured by the kindness I show, the time I give, and the difference I can make in someone else’s life. Whether I am helping raise money for an important cause, supporting local families, or simply showing up ready to help, I am reminded that even small acts of service matter.
One of the greatest lessons I have learned is that making a difference does not require doing something extraordinary. Most nonprofits are not powered by celebrities or million-dollar donations, they are powered by ordinary people choosing to help in ordinary ways. Every volunteer, every donation, every conversation, and every act of kindness adds up to something much bigger than any one person.
That realization has changed the way I look at my own life. I have stopped measuring my success solely by what I have not accomplished yet and started appreciating what I have done.
Sometimes success is not landing the perfect internship or having everything figured out. Sometimes success is simply showing up on a day when anxiety tells you to stay home. Progress is not always measured by productivity, it can also be measured by perseverance. Another unexpected gift of nonprofit work has been the people.
Mental health often convinces us that we are alone, but volunteering has shown me the exact opposite. I have met people from different backgrounds who all share one common goal: making life a little better for someone else. Those friendships are built on compassion, generosity, and shared purpose.
Being surrounded by people who focus on solutions instead of problems has had a tremendous impact on my own mindset. Their kindness is contagious, and their optimism reminds me that even when the world feels overwhelming, there is still so much good happening every day.
Volunteering has also provided something I did not realize I needed: structure. Depression often tells you to stay in bed, avoid people, and cancel your plans. Anxiety tells you that trying something new will end in embarrassment or failure. Having a commitment to serve gives me a reason to get dressed, leave the house, and engage with my community, even when my mind is telling me not to.
One of the most valuable lessons I have learned is that motivation rarely comes before action. More often, motivation follows action. There have been plenty of days when I did not feel like volunteering, but I almost never regretted going. By the time I leave, I feel lighter, more connected, and more hopeful than I did when I arrived.
Perhaps the biggest lesson nonprofit work has taught me is that kindness benefits everyone involved. We often think of volunteering as a one-sided exchange where the volunteer gives and someone else receives. In reality, everyone gains something. The organization receives support, the community benefits from the work being done, and the volunteer gains purpose, perspective, and connection.
That does not mean volunteering replaces professional mental health treatment. Therapy, medication, and medical care remain essential parts of managing mental illness, and I believe seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. For me, volunteering simply became another piece of the puzzle, one that works alongside professional care, supportive relationships, healthy habits, and self-care.
Looking back, it is amazing to realize how my desire to help others ended up helping me. I volunteered because I wanted to give back to my community, but along the way I gained confidence, purpose, friendships, and hope. I found reminders that even during difficult seasons, I still have something meaningful to offer.
If someone asked me for advice about coping with mental health challenges, I would never claim that volunteering is the answer. Mental health is deeply personal, and everyone’s journey looks different. Instead, I would encourage them to find a cause they genuinely care about. Whether it is working with children, supporting medical research, helping animals, assisting veterans, protecting the environment, or serving families in need, there is a place for everyone to make a difference.
Sometimes healing begins when we stop asking, “What is wrong with me?” and start asking, “How can I help someone else today?”
In a world that constantly encourages us to focus inward, volunteering reminds us of the power of looking outward. Serving others has taught me resilience, gratitude, perspective, and the importance of community. My mental health journey is still ongoing, and I know there will continue to be difficult days. But I also know that every time I choose to give back, I am reminded that I have a purpose beyond my struggles.
Helping others has never solved all of my problems, but it has shown me that no matter how hard a day may be, I can still make someone else’s day a little brighter. In doing so, I often discover that my own life becomes brighter too.