Five Ways: Give

Giving to others releases feel-good chemicals in our brains

The urge to help others is stronger than ever before for a lot of us. The great news is that giving to others is great for our own wellbeing too! It helps us feel a sense of connection with our communities and boosts feel-good chemicals in the brain. There are lots of ways we can help and give to others - here are a few ideas to get you started:

Local Volunteering

There are plenty of charities and voluntary organisations who are always desperate for an extra pair of hands - and it doesn't have to be a huge commitment. Even giving a couple of hours of your time now and again can make a difference. Find local opportunities at Dorset Volunteer Centre

Post a Card

The simple act of asking if a neighbour needs help is a great way to give to others. Pop a note through a neighbours door offering help with food shopping, other supplies, errands, dog walking, whatever they might need that you can offer. If you don’t know who might need help in your area, try finding out whether there is a sheltered accommodation scheme close to you where people are likely to be older and/or have health problems.

The Little Things

Giving to others doesn’t have to be a big deal! Simply keeping an eye on people in your community, saying hello, a wave, a smile - sometimes it is the little things that have the biggest impact. Especially when people are still emerging from a period of feeling isolated and cut off, and for those who are vulnerable. Friends will appreciate simply knowing you’re thinking of them, so check in regularly. Any small actions or words will help: sometimes knowing you’re there can be as powerful as physically doing something!

How are you taking care of your wellbeing?

Join the Five Ways Challenge today to receive tips, ideas and inspiration to take care of your wellbeing. Get in touch or register with us to access free advice and coaching to LiveWell.

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How does this work?

The tailored approach LiveWell Dorset uses to come up with solutions to the things that are stopping us achieving our goals, is based upon work done by University College London developing the COM-B model of behaviour change. In this model, all behaviour is influenced by understanding a person’s capability to change, their opportunity to change and their motivation to change. By understanding which of these is the biggest barrier to change, we can tailor support accordingly. This model of behaviour change is at the centre of the support we offer, online and in person.

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