The Helping Pot

an effective wellness tip nobody talks about

Hey y’all. Matt here, Michelle is traveling so this weekend y’all are stuck with my ass. And I’m glad for it because in today’s newsletter I wanna talk about some real shit. 

Whether it’s exercise or diets or supplements, the trillion dollar health industry is focused on two things: self improvement and capitalizing that. Seems obvious, I guess. Everything from beauty products to therapy, we’re all trying to improve our general wellbeing. But there’s something we can do that almost nobody talks about. Something that boosts our mood, gives us a sense of purpose, combats depression, and connects us within our own communities. Y’all might be mad at me for this but- 

Volunteering.

NOW HOLD ON JUST A DAMN MINUTE, I can hear your eyes rolling but stay with me okay? Look- ya know how like once (realistically twice) a year you should go see the dentist? Maybe you do, maybe you don’t BUT you know that you should. Or how every once in a while your body screams “pls send some water and vegetables, no more chimichangas for a while”. Consider volunteering with that kinda “it’s been a while” frequency. I’m not suggesting you give up half a Saturday once a month but two or three times a year wouldn’t kill you. MATTER FACT not only would it NOT kill you, you’ll actually feel better. 

Ron, Michelle and Matt prepping for annual community block party DaFUNction

Single? Volunteering a great way to meet people PLUS you’ll know they’re *decent* humans. Insecure? Volunteering boosts confidence and self-esteem. Depressed? Go help someone less fortunate than you. I’m not just bullshitting either, there has been study after study after study that exhibit a direct and positive correlation between volunteering and overall well being. 

We’re inundated with ads about wellness and how to be the best version of ourselves, they just need a major credit card number. Fuck all that. Do the opposite. Go do something selfless and do it for free. You’d be amazed how you feel. Harvard researchers call it “the happiness effect”.

Food banks could use your help, especially during hard times like the pandemic. You might even bump into us on the sorting line.

Going to a spa is expensive and doing yoga is often searching for sexy results. Donating your time to help someone in need is neither sexy nor expensive. So it’s not a surprise that there's no campaign for volunteering as part of our overall health but goddamnit there should be. You feel better. You connect with your community. And someone who didn’t have help before you showed up, finally got some help. 

So this week do yourself and your community a favor, sign up for a volunteer opportunity. Local food banks always need help. Over a hundred million Americans within an hour from a coastline- there’s probably a beach clean up near you and you can turn the rest of the day into a beach day. Grab a friend or your family to go with you. Who knows, maybe you meet a hottie.

For the most part volunteering is only given consideration around the holidays but these organizations need your help year round. Hell, they need your help TODAY. Think of it like going to the gym, the hardest part is actually getting there but once you’re there it’s not so bad and you feel great when you’re finished. Or don’t volunteer and continue spending your time and money troubleshooting your insecurities with fleeting results. But hey, what the fuck do I know. 

Tomorrow our paid subscribers will get a recipe for Maple Hoisin Tofu Summer Rolls and Michelle gives tips on what to eat while you’re traveling. If you’re not a paid supporter, you can easily fix that. 

Now get out there and do some motherfuckin good.

Matt and Michelle