Everyday Neuro 021: How Actions Speak Louder than Words - It's Time to Boost Your Wellbeing

Introduction

0:00Hello and welcome to the Everyday Neuro podcast series. I'm your host, Dr Janine Cooper, and I'm aiming to provide you with the knowledge and inspiration to understand the fascinating world of the human brain. So once again, thanks for joining me. And I'm going to begin today's episode by asking you the question of, have you ever heard the saying, actions speak louder than

0:35words? Well, I'm sure for many of us, this is actually a really familiar saying. And in today's episode, I'm going to be sharing with you information to provide support for this statement, and it'll be in relation to mental wellbeing. I'm also going to be explaining how the actions that we do and the activities that we take part in, and the hobbies that many of us enjoy can actually be incredibly positive for boosting our mood, and how it can help to balance the brain's neurochemistry.

1:07We'll also be learning more about the many benefits of skill sharing through volunteering from the incredibly talented Nicole R. Smith, who is a workforce development specialist. Nicole's also a fellow podcaster and host from the Suggestion Box, and is author of Game On, Relentlessly Pursue Your Dreams. But before we learn more about how volunteering can be supportive to the wellbeing of yourself and others with Nicole, let's take a closer look at why actions are so important to our mental health.

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Behavioral Activation Therapy

2:59ACAST.com. We'll start by looking at how putting an action first can actually promote well-being. And this is a concept that is central to something called behavioral activation therapy. So rather than having to feel motivated by an internal thought or drive, which, let's be honest, it's really difficult to do when you're feeling perhaps anxious or even depressed. Behavioral activation therapy suggests that we can get positive physiological

3:32as well as mental arousal from performing an action. Now, over time, if you continue to perform an activity or an action, then people are distracted often from these intrusive negative thoughts. And instead, in many cases, they're exposed to many positive things in their environment. And this includes socialization and making new connections. And this leads me to tell you a bit more about an innovative solution called social prescribing,

4:04which is basically an approach where general practitioners can link their patients into social services or even social groups. And this is done in a bid to try and reduce the epidemic of loneliness and also the feelings of social isolation that many people with health issues can often face. And this will then hopefully reduce the amount of harm, including mental health conditions such as depression. The UK has been at the forefront of the push to embed social prescribing into healthcare

4:37as part of the treatment for patients with a range of conditions, including stress, trauma, aging, depression, addiction, eating disorders, and brain injury. And countries such as Canada, Singapore, and Australia are now following suit. It could actually help to shift the balance to focus on prevention and early intervention for people who might face challenges with mental health alongside other health issues.

5:09And I'll be talking with our guest, Nicole, about this later in the episode as volunteering is actually a great way to increase social connection and reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. And I know that Nicole is really keen to embed social prescribing into the work that she's currently doing. So although you might not have heard of social prescribing before this episode, you might actually think that your general practitioner could already be doing it. And it's just that they haven't given you that name.

5:40So hopefully now you know a little bit more about this wonderful initiative that's being sort of pioneered from the UK and it's now filtering into other health care practices across the world.

Learning New Skills

5:53Another great way to boost our mood, and it's in alignment with behavioral activation therapy, is to learn new skills. Now perhaps you've always wanted to paint or play the guitar. It might be that you want to know how to code or develop your own website. For me, I've had to learn all about how to set up podcasts and all that great garage band kind of stuff. And this kind of activity, this learning of a new task, stimulates so many parts of our brain, but it really does trigger the hippocampus.

6:25And again, this is that fabulous part of the brain that supports learning and it's considered crucial for our memory processes. Now, many of you might know if you've been listening to this podcast for a while that this is actually a personal favorite area of the brain for me. And once again, I've managed to find a way to talk about it, but it really is a fabulous part of the brain because it allows us to learn so much and it creates so many different pathways that stimulate other parts of the brain that it helps to elevate our mood.

6:56So perhaps you're thinking, well, I've learned quite a few new skills. So is there another way I could maybe boost my mood by doing activities or actions? Well, the good news is the greatest way you can boost your well-being is to actually share those skills that you have. So by taking part in volunteering, you're actually entering into a wonderful reciprocal relationship of support.

Volunteering Benefits

7:19And I'm delighted to be joined by Nicole R. Smith, who is going to be talking to us more about this. Hello and welcome, Nicole. It's an absolute pleasure to have you join us today. Can we start by maybe you telling us how you became an advocate of volunteering? Hi, Janine. It is so great and I'm so honored to be here. Man, that question of becoming an advocate for volunteering.

7:52Well, like many people in the profession of volunteer management, volunteer engagement, I fell into this opportunity. I was working in the marketing department of an organization and the opportunity, the position became available a volunteer manager and I read the description and funny enough, I was like, oh, this looks very easy. I could do this. So I applied for the job and I got the job.

8:23Good on you. But very quick, quickly found out that it's not as easy as it looks. So as going into it, but I fell in love with the opportunity. I, because the thing about me is I believe in people and I believe that people matter and having the opportunity to be a volunteer engagement manager gave me the opportunity to really celebrate people and thank them for all that they do for an organization.

8:55And that is the core of who I am. I like to show people appreciation. I like to thank people. And then being able to create processes to provide ways for people to be able to volunteer. It just all came together. And so the more and more I got involved, the more benefits I saw from volunteering and it has made me a dire advocate for the act of volunteering

9:27and advocating for volunteers for the work that they do for the hours that they donate because oftentimes they do go overlooked and are not thanked as much as they should be. And so that is where my life's gift and call is now is to make sure that people who are volunteering have everything that they need and that they feel appreciated for the time that they're spending with us,

9:58which we all know is the most precious gifts there is out there because we never get any more time. Once it's given, that's it. You can always get more money, but you can never get more time. And the fact that people decide to give it freely, it's a treasure that I wanna make sure is honored. It's such a lovely point you make, Nicole, that the act of volunteering is providing skills and knowledge and sharing all that wisdom

10:28and it's such a lovely thing to do, but it's also a very generous act because you're giving your time. Now, perhaps people are listening and thinking, actually, that's something I'd really like to do. Can you tell us a little bit about what the benefits are from when we sort of volunteer, when we tap in and connect with our community through this generous act? Yes, absolutely. There are so many benefits to volunteering and I alluded to it just a little bit before, but understanding that we all have

11:00that ability to bring light into somebody's life, but we forget, right? And the day-to-day shuffle because you're going to work or you're raising your kids or activities and all these types of things. And we tend to overlook that and forget it. And so the thing I love about volunteering is it is an instant gratification, instant reminder of you matter because when you go into an organization and you do something, whether it's packing boxes

11:31or mentoring somebody or just being there to listen to somebody talk and seeing the gratitude that is on their face with the difference that you made in their life, even if it was just for 30 minutes, even if it was just for 15 minutes, seeing the difference that you made in their life reminds you that you do have purpose and that you do matter. And so those types of things eventually help to build up your self-esteem.

12:02Which is often a tricky thing to do if you're not connecting with others. So could you tell us, Nicole, a little bit about how volunteering can help reduce feelings of perhaps social isolation? Volunteering can also help build a sense of community, especially if you're going and you're volunteering in a group setting. You meet new like-minded people who have the same passions or same desires that you have in terms of how you see the world

12:33and how you want to make it a better place. So you feel plugged in. You feel a part of something that is bigger than yourself. And the beautiful thing about that is it helps to fight loneliness, which eventually helps to fight depression. And other things that it does is it helps to improve social skills. So if you're very much an introvert and maybe it's something that you need to improve for your job or you're like for your resume and you need to learn how to work with people or talk in front of people, volunteering opens so many doors that you can never even imagine.

13:07And after the end of the day, it just brings joy to your life, knowing that you are able to make that kind of difference in the life of a complete stranger. It's there's nothing like that feeling, just knowing that what you did helped somebody else. Wow. Quite an experience then already for your mental health, your well-being. Could you tell us a little bit how it can actually aid your health as well? I mean, obviously, there's many different aspects to volunteering. Can you give us some examples

13:38from what you've experienced? A lot of volunteering has a lot of activity behind it. So it could be walking or jogging or going up and down stairs or moving boxes from here to there so you're active, especially if you're building houses and different things like that. So you can be very active. And obviously, physical activity is good for your health, good for your mental health, good for your physical health. And even if it's not that, there's still the opportunity to be able to volunteer remotely.

14:09So even if it is more one-on-one, but the fact that you're having connections, that is good for your mental stability because you're not by yourself. Talked about it a little bit earlier. So it also helps to fight depression, things like that. According to Forbes, actually, they said that somebody who volunteers has a lower mortality rate, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer. So across the board,

14:41volunteering is just good for your health in so many ways. And I am just obviously such a huge fan of it, very passionate about it. And it's just, you know, some of the very, very small ways, and I didn't even go into all of them, but just a few ways that tapping in and volunteering, connecting with your community can be such a great benefit. It's so nice to hear how passionate you are about volunteering, Nicole. It's a delight because, you know, so many people are generous enough

15:13to give their time and their skills in this way. But what you've done there is just really told us so much about what's beneficial about it for the actual volunteer. So the mental health aspect, obviously, we were talking about that earlier in the episode with behavioral activation therapy. Volunteering is an example of that. So I suppose the next question that I would really like to maybe ask on behalf of the listeners is that maybe some people might think, well, you know what, I'd love to volunteer, but perhaps I actually don't have skills

15:43that people will want. Can you tell us, is that the case? You know, has everybody got something to offer, Nicole? Yes. Yes. I hear that a lot. And people are like, oh, I don't have anything to offer. And just like I said before, everybody has something to offer. So there's things in my life that I used to be like, man, that is common sense. I just don't understand how anybody doesn't get that.

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17:13that it was the skill that I had to be able to put events together and think things through and think about all these different things, whereas somebody who is a numbers person may not even think twice about the way I would look at putting together an event. So you have something to offer if you sing, if you dance, if you can do spreadsheets, whatever it is,

17:44you have something to offer. And a really great volunteer organization will recognize the skill that you have and figure out how to implement it into their organization as opposed to saying, oh, no, you can't volunteer here. Do not doubt. Do not discount the skills that you have. And you don't even have to think, you don't have to think twice about it. Again, if it's something that just comes super natural, super easy to you, and if you think the thought ever

18:16comes to you, oh, it's just common sense that's probably the thing that you are most skilled at that you can offer to help another organization improve and make impact in their community. So good to hear we can all offer something to somebody else in terms of volunteering. Speaking of which, Nicole, earlier in the episode I was talking about social prescribing and I know this is something that's very important to you and you're keen to bring this into the work that you do in volunteering.

Social Prescribing

18:47Can you tell us a bit more about that, please, and your hopes for this in the future? Yes. So social prescribing is something that I came across and it is something that I am actively working on trying to see if I can connect with others in the community to make it happen. Some hospitals, some places, organizations, they include volunteering in that. It's a way for them to find local organizations in their area and be like,

19:18you know, if you are experiencing depression and loneliness, have you thought about volunteering with this particular organization because it can help you get plugged in, it can help you feel a part of a community. And so they have special people at the hospitals and in these organizations who work with people to understand. It's almost kind of like a volunteer scout, right? They find what you like, they find the need that you have, and then they can recommend organizations that will help

19:49to fulfill that need. So that's the very basic of it. I am not an expert in it. I'm still in discovery of it, but it is something that I think can be very beneficial and is wildly successful in the UK as far as I understand, according to all the research. So if there's anybody else out there who is actively involved in it, I would love to hear from you and have that discussion with you to see how it's something that we can work to bring to our communities over here in the US.

20:20Oh, fantastic. So I'll be placing all of Nicole's details in the show notes of this episode and you can find those by going to everydayneuro.com.au forward slash podcast, looking at episode 21 and click on the show notes button. So the final thing I'd like to ask you today, Nicole, is that obviously you have such a passion for volunteering, but what would your sort of inspirational words be as we finish this episode for anybody listening

20:50who really would like to get involved or might like to in the future? The last thing that I just want to say is that I encourage everybody to plug in, you know, don't live life alone. Plug in, find people who are like-minded, learn from new people and you'll find, even if it's something where you find it hard to even give of your time right now because you might feel empty, you might feel like you don't have

21:21enough to give. One of the greatest things to do is, because I know volunteering is giving back, right? And typically, in order to give something, that means you have to have something to give. You have to be giving from a place where you have something to give. So you can't pour out of your own cup into somebody else's cup if your cup is not full. But once you are full and once you feel fulfilled, then you can give to others and pour into their lives.

21:53And then often too, if you're going through something and you give to somebody else, even if just for a short moment in time, if you can forget about it or put it aside just for a little bit and find a little joy, that little joy can go a long way. And at the very least, if you put your concern aside and help somebody else and come back to it, it might even give you a new perspective. It might refresh how you're looking at the situation. Maybe it's not as daunting

22:23as you thought it would be. And it could be just even easier to conquer because you put it aside and took your focus off of it just for a little bit to help somebody else. Just volunteering across the board is just one of the best things you can do for so many reasons. And I just highly encourage it. It will benefit you in ways that you would have never expected. And the collateral beauty that you will get from it

22:54is second to men. Wow. What an ending to a fabulous interview. Thank you so much, Nicole, for joining us on this episode of the Everyday Neuro podcast. And I'd just like to say your words have really touched my heart because I can see and hear how much passion you have for volunteering. And I'm certainly going to be considering some options that I can take part in as well. So thanks so much. I just want to thank you again so much

23:24for having me as a guest and considering me for your podcast. I am just truly, truly, truly honored. And that was the lovely Nicola Smith, who is a workforce development specialist. A big thank you to her. If you do want to find out more, why not check out Nicole's website? That's nicolersmith.net and also she has some wonderful information on social media and you can find that

23:54at nicolersmith.net on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. And you can also check out her wonderful podcast and her great book Game On, Relentlessly Pursue Your Dreams. So today we've really touched on the idea that by being active, by using actions and activities, we can potentially really enhance our mental health and well-being. And this taps into

24:24something called behavioral activation therapy and it also taps into something called social prescribing. Should you want any more information, again, you can check out the show notes of episode 21 on the Everyday Neuro website and I gave you those details slightly earlier. And so that's all from me for this episode of the Everyday Neuro podcast. As always, thank you so much for joining me and I encourage you to look after that incredible

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