Positive Life NSW

10 ways to do good for others and feel good about yourself at the same time

"Instant Karma’s gonna get you/Gonna knock you right on the head
You better get yourself together/Pretty soon you’re gonna be dead"

Instant Karma! - John Lennon

Everyone knows what goes around, comes around… or, to put it in slightly more cosmic terms, we’re all aware how bad karma will likely come and bite you on the bum at some stage if you’re not careful. That’s why good karma – doing something for someone else without being asked to, but simply because you want to help – should be as much a part of your daily diet as taking your meds! Greg Page serves up ten top tips for how to make a difference and get plenty of good karma in return.

Be involved!

Don’t squander your time simply perched at home on the sofa eyeballing endless re-runs of Bondi Rescue hoping to catch some gratuitous eyecandy. Think of something you’ve always wanted to do – climb Mt Everest, run a half-marathon, or popping by The Dalai Lama’s hut for afternoon tea – and join the corresponding group. Now!

Become a mentor!

Kids, tweens and teens all need positive role models, and we mean that in more ways than just the obvious for a magazine like this! Why not find out which organizations or groups near you run mentoring programs, where you give up a little of your time and help out kids a whole lot. And think of all the lollies you can eat together!

Enter politics!

Not happy with the way the world is being run? Always complaining you could do better than Kevin, Malcolm, Bob and, er, whoever’s running the National Party? Then go google the local division of the political party whose colours fit you best and start doorknocking, handshaking and making unpaid YouTube political statements.

Forget you’re HIV+!

Yes, it’s a drag, sometimes a burden and it can sometimes rule your life, but you don’t need to let being poz become “da boz”! Take a deep breath, remember you’re still alive and kicking, and make the effort to forget about your sero-status. Don’t let the fact that you’re a “+” mean that you have “-“ to live for! Now spread the news.

Volunteer!

We all have skills that we’ve learnt through our lives and now is the time to do something constructive, not destructive, with them. If you’ve trained as a massage therapist, done acupuncture, reiki, or psychology, know how to knit, do macramé, scrapbooking or needlepoint, or pottery or the like, go share the joy. Nicely.

Get green thumbs!

A great way of getting back in touch with your roots is to get your hands dirty in them – literally! Dig into a spot of gardening – perhaps help someone organize their backyard, do some landscaping for a needy neighbour, repot someone elderly’s patio, or simply go bush and reconnect with a scrub turkey. Just don’t forget the aeroguard!

Cook up a storm!

Soup kitchens! Yes, some people don’t always have the benefit of getting a hot meal every day. So why not go and get dishy at one of the various charity organisation’s on a day when you can offer your time, your soup-ladling arm and a bit of good cheer to those who could definitely benefit most from it. Chicken or beef?

Help others in the same boat!

Yes, you’ve been through a lot. But you saw, coped and conquered. Why not pass on those invaluable life lessons, hard-won experiences and shortcuts to those who could learn from what you’ve been through. Try Ankali, CSN or the Walk for AIDS - give time to someone who might feel more isolated than you. Every little bit helps, right?

Focus!

Not wanting to put all of your volunteering time into some long-term commitment? Positive Life, ACON and other orgs often hold focus groups where they test out new marketing campaigns, material or even products. Here’s your chance to let your voice be heard and be counted (as well as get a small payment for your services too)!

Do it now!

Don’t delay, do it today. Here’s just some of the benefits – all of these things help bring you out of yourself and your own worries, you meet great people, learn new skills, have more confidence, you help people, help yourself and – kazam! – that instant good karma is gonna getcha! That’s the best good news of all, right?

VOLUNTEER A-Z

Here’s ten starting points…

1. ACON (02 9206 2000)
2. Ankali (02 9332 9742 during office hours)
3. City of Sydney (Go to: www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au)
4. Community Support Network (CSN) (Go to www.acon.org.au/living_with_hiv/index.cfm?cat_id=36)
5. Lifeline (1800 880 681 or email volunteer@lifeline.org.au)
6. Mission Australia (email: volunteering@missionaustralia.com.au)
7. Positive Life NSW (1800 245 677 or email admin@positivelife.org.au)
8. Positive Living Centre (PLC) (02 9699 8756)
9. St Vincent de Paul Society (02 9560 8666 or email volunteer@vinnies.org.au)
10. YWCA’s Big Brothers Big Sisters (Go to www.ywcansw.com.au)

Please contact Talkabout if you’ve had any experiences in relation to volunteer or charity work that you’d like to recommend which may be of use to others.