The Power of Giving Back: Finding Fulfillment Through Volunteering

It's time for a virtual campfire sit down with Terry Weiss. Welcome to Weiss Boss, heyde Heidiho there, fans, welcome back, Welcome to another installment of our virtual campfires sit down that we lovingly call Weis's Thoughts and God all this noise. Sorry, sorry about the noise gang. We'll get to work on that anyhow, Hopefully we can edit some of that out and post. Mister producer extraordinary, I know new different microphone today, different studio or in purple pit studio to be as in to be or not to be as in I wish I was in Studio one A anyway, Welcome, Welcome, one and all, and hey if you enjoy the podcast. For those of you that might be repeat offenders or listeners, as I'd like to say, repeat listeners, go to Weiss thoughts dot com. Just make sure you spell my name right w y C E w y c E Wis thoughts dot com. There you can listen to each in every episode of this podcast. You can also share us with your friends, comment on the show, et cetera. If you want to email me directly, it's Terry T. E R R Y at Weiss Thoughts dot com. Okay, do it there? All right? And what else? What else? What else? Purple Pitt Studios Purplepitstudios dot com. There you can listen to other shows we have like think on this, Let's make Music, so many more, Weiss on Film, which I've got to update those other two podcasts here as well. So lots for you to do, let's say, and if you hate, if you need any kind of voiceover work you want to you want your audiobook narrated professionally, what have you? Weissproductions dot com. Check that out and you can look for me on Audible just search for Terry Weiss. I've I've narrated a few books with Audible. Not to toot my own horn, as you say. But AnyWho, how are you? I hope you're all doing well? And today on the program we got a great topic. We're going to talk about one of the most fulfilling things you can do in your life and something that will really I'm serious, something that will really make a difference in your life. And it is going to require a little effort by yourself. But I discovered this about a decade ago, or so a little more than a decade ago, because I was kind of a little bit, a little bit of what they call a funk funk f u n K. And I started doing this, and I had done it in the past, but I forgot how fulfilling it was and how much it enriched my life. We're going to talk about that in just a second, but first what we're gonna do. You know what it is? It's not that, No, it's not that. Yeah, that's why. That's time again. It's time for the press the right button, win smith word Oh the episode. That's right, it's time for the wordsmith word of the episode where you learn a new word on each episode of the White Thoughts podcast. So you're going to press your friends and your co workers and friends and neighbors and let them know what kind of a big brain you had. And this week's wordsmith word of the episode. Oh, computer generated AI voice? What is it? There is similitude? We have what. There is? Similitude? Versamilitude? Oh boy v E R is I M I L I t U d E. It's a noun. It's the appearance of being true or real. Let's hear it used in a few sentences, shall we. While the special effects in the movie received rave reviews. Critics panned the acting as lacking verisimilitude. Something I would never say. The fine detail gave the oil painting verisimilitude. That I would if I was out. I've plows out at a fine art museum. Virtual reality equipment is getting more advanced and the programs are showing real vera similitude. There you go. That's this episode's wordsmith word of the episode forde the appearance of being true or real. Now you can impress your friends, your neighbors, and everyone on the on the planet with how smart you are with vocabulary. Isn't it? Isn't it wonderful? All right, Well, let's get into this week's episode, shall we. So what I want to talk to you about on this episode of the White Thoughts podcast is something that is genuinely, genuinely, genuinely, Yes, I can speak, I'm a voice actor. Say it ten times fast, It'll be true. I want to talk to you today about volunteering, give back, volunteering your time. And I know some of you are going to say, oh, come on, Terry, I've got so much going on in my life. You know, I've got two point five kids, a husband to take care of. Or a wife to take care of, and uncle father, my job, the kids got activities. I got to do this, that and the other thing. I don't have the time. Let me ask you this, though, can you afford not to? I mean, there have been numerous psychological and medical studies done that point to the fact that just doing some type of volunteer work giving back to your community can have a profound effect on your mental and physical health. Both of those, your mental and physical health. Folks, I'm here to tell you, I'm living proof. It is true. It is absolutely true. I mean, everybody's busy, let's face it. But in this day and age, in today's world, in today's modern world, where we are constantly bombarded with putting the pedal to the metal, go, go, go, achieve more, more, more more, give, give, give, spend, spend, spend, rush, rush rush. How many of us are rushing through our lives. And then you wake up one day and you're like, oh my god, I'm old, I'm retired, my kids are grown up and moved out of the house, and you and you you just have avoid or you might be feeling that even before all that, you might be feeling feeling like there's something missing in my life. There's something I can't put my finger on it. I can't quite figure it out, but there is something I'm missing something. So you buy more stuff, you work extra hours at work. But I'm telling you think about this seriously. Volunteer some of your time. It could be at a homeless shelter. It could be at your local library, a food bank, a soup kitchen, anywhere. Find someplace to reach out in your community. Look do a Google search. Instead of searching for funny cat dog videos or doom scrolling the news, try and look around in your community and use the search engines to find ways you can volunteer and give back. Maybe it's cutting your neighbor's lawn. Maybe it's reading to people that are visually impaired. Maybe it's helping someone clean their yard who might not be physically able to and do it for nothing. I'm not talking about doing things that get paid for or to have big fingers pointing at you and have a spotlight shining in you say look at me, look at me, look at me. No, just do it for the sake of doing it. And I'm telling you I'm sure as I am sitting in this studio, the satisfaction you will feel inwardly, the sense of joy and peace, unless you're completely heartless, which I know you're not, My listeners, now, I've got more faith in us than that. It is going to make a difference in your life. It really is. You're going to feel a profound change and the way you think about things. It'll carry through to the rest of your days, your weeks, your months, And you don't have to go crazy. You don't have to go crazy. And I'm going to volunteer twenty hours an hour a week, somewhere half hour a week. Start small, and if you want to do more, absolutely do more. There's animal shelters that are always reaching out help us. Maybe come over and just spend time with the pets, hold them, cuddle them, cats and dogs, kittens and puppies, or help feed them. Ask your local church, if you go to church, volunteer. It will make a difference in your life, my friends, it will, and it'll make a difference in someone else's life, I'm telling you. And why not make the world a better place? Why not? You know a lot of times, like I said, we're just rushing around from this appointment to that appointment, to this meeting, to that meeting, to this social function social function, and you just by the time you get home, you're like, oh, I'm exhausted. But when you volunteer, when you give of your time, your skill set, what have you to enrich something, someone, some community without expecting anything in return. Believe me, the rewards you will get in return will be tenfold. Now. I know some of your authors say, wow, I donate. I given the offering plate in church, and I donate to this charity and that charity and this charity. And that that's great, that's wonderful. If you can afford to do that, and if your heart is moved to do that, that's wonderful. But I'm talking about going deeper, something deeper here, volunteering something that is so precious to all of us. Your time, your laughter, your presence. That's where the real differences are made. Those connections. As the world moves away from connections and we're all online and we're all, you know, behind a keyboard or behind a computer screen, or behind a cell phone or a camera, make that intimate connection with people. Listen to them, listen to their stories, share your stories, share your presence, your good karma, your spirit and my friends. It will make so much difference, not only in their world, but in your world and the world around us. Hey was wastelots listeners, Are you looking for a simple way to level up your focus and energy? Well, you know on this podcast, I talk a lot about health and vitality. That's why I'm excited to share some information about in Power Plus. It's a functional superfood green powder from in Dear Life. It features powerful ingredients like lions main for cognition and broccoli microgreens for anti inflammatory support. And it's all in one scoop. I want to try it out. Well right now, you can get fifteen percent off your entire order. That's right, fifteen percent off your whole order at a Dear Life. Just visit a dear life dot com. That's e d E r R A l y f E dot com. Use my special code Weiss Save that's w y c E s a ve e at the checkout that's Weiss Save for fifteen percent off at a dear life dot com. Fuel your thoughts and save today. Pless you're listening for rice lots. Hey, everybody, welcome back, Welcome back to the White's Thoughts Podcast. I'm Terry Weiss. I'm so glad you're here today spending some of your valuable time with me around our virtual campfire, and we're talking about the act of volunteering. Volunteering your time. You know, you don't have to do much, you don't have to change the world in a heartbeat. But you know what, just by doing the simple act of kindness of volunteering, it can make such a big difference in someone's life. And it's amazing, it really is. I have found. I started doing this about maybe twelve twelve, fifteen years ago, and I was feeling kind of down and depressed. I mean, I had a good job, you know, great family life, you know, great great set of friends, you know, no real issues. But I just started getting this nagging feeling that something was missing from my life and I couldn't just I couldn't put my finger on it. I'm like, hmm, you know, and so I started doing a mental inventory. You know, all right, I got a good job. You know, all our bills are paid, We've got money you know that we need, you know, in case of emergencies, et cetera. Our kids are all happy and healthy, the grand kids at the time the amount we had, we're you know, we're fine, and you know, and the relatives of the folks were good, and and I just know what My marriage is good, you know, everything was good. And I was just kind of walking around, but you know, you ever get that feeling we're just something's off, something, there's just something missing. And so I went the unconventional root, after all, right, well, maybe I need another guitar, maybe I need another bass or a new amplifier. And so I spent some money on some new equipment and you know, upgraded some things and did dad and did some more stuff in the studio and and things. And I'm like, oh yeah, short term gratification. But then that feeling would be there, and I'm like, this isn't it. So I started diving deeper into my faith, you know, asking, praying, meditating, you know, what, what what am I missing? What's what is the reason that I'm just have this feeling? And eventually the answer did come to me. And you could call it divine intervention, God, the universe, karma, my spiritual guide, I whatever, whatever you prefer, whatever you believe, hey man, you do you But the intention that was presented to me is give back. That's the first thing I got. Give back, and I'm so I started thinking, okay, well give back? What donate more to to worthy causes? What exactly what are we talking about here? Give back? So I started to meditate more and pray more and think more on that and ruminate on that in my mind, give back? Give back? What? All? Right? Give back? How So we donated a little more and it still wasn't alleviating. And then one day I was driving home. I can't remember from where, somewhere somewhere inconsequential that's how much it really meant. And it hit me just out of the blue, in between a commercial on the radio, give back of yourself, give of yourself. I'm like, aha, okay. And then so I took that a step further and I reached out to a couple of organizations and started volunteering my time, reaching out to my neighbors. If I saw some Hey, you know, I noticed your lawnmower over there, looks like it was broken down, I can cut you all on for you. And people will resist, Oh no, no, because I think you're going to have your hand out. I'm listen. I'd be happy to do it. I'm mowing mind today. Anyway, I'll do it. Don't worry about well, let me give you some money. No, don't worry. And I'm not saying this to say, ooh, look at me, look how great I am. Don't please, don't come away with that impression. I just told them, No, I want to do this. I feel moved to do this. Please allow me to do this for you. I would like to do this for you, okay. And some people were very receptive, and some were still skeptical, you know, because let's face it, this world sometimes can make us pretty skeptical of someone wanting to do something nicely for you. And I started doing different things. I found an organization which I am still affiliated with today, that I volunteer some of my time every week and some of my god given talents in the industry I'm working in, and I dedicate that to them for absolutely no recognition the payment of any sort. I just do it because it helps other people. And I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping others and knowing I'm doing something that someone else will appreciate and help. And again I'm not I'm not doing this episode to say, look at me, look at me, you know peacock. As I like to say on previous episodes, look at me, look at me, you know the bigcocks with the big feathers, the birds. I'm doing it just to maybe inspire someone out there, maybe you you listening to this podcast right now. Hopefully I am inspiring you to really take a deep dive. And if you're feeling like something's missing, and that that void that you're feeling in your soul and your heart and your being can't be filled by Amazon or Walmart or Best Buy, or buying another piece of electronics or taking another vacation, or buying another car or a home. Maybe that void can only be filled by reaching out and giving of yourself, by giving to others and starting that process to make the world a better place. Hey, thanks for listening to the program today. I truly appreciate each and every one of you out there. And remember to see a change in the world, you have to be the change in the world you want to see. It all starts with you, a person looking back at you in the mirror every morning. Remember to be kind to yourself, be kind to others. If you want to tweet at me on Twitter, it's at Terry Weiss. Stop by the website Wis's thoughts dot com just to make sure you spell my name right. Wysee wis thoughts dot com, and hey, leave us a positive rating and review on your favorite podcast provider. Won't you tell your friends, tell your family, tell your pets about wife's thoughts? And I look forward to gathering yet again around the virtual campfire with you real soon. Take care. As based consist of also based as of averas of as of every person