More Than Just Giving Back

When most people think of volunteering, they picture food pantries, charity drives, or soup kitchens. And yes—I’ve done all of that. I’ve sorted donations, served hot meals, and handed out Christmas gifts to children who otherwise wouldn’t have received one.

But volunteering has given me more than I could have ever imagined. It didn’t just open my heart—it opened up my voice.

As someone who returned to acting later in life, I’ve realized that volunteering didn’t just shape my values—it also built my confidence as a performer. The skills I developed in community service directly translated to how I show up in front of the camera, in an audition room, or on stage.

Volunteering isn’t just kindness—it’s training.

Confidence Starts With Purpose

When you serve others, something shifts inside you. You stop worrying about how you look, or how you’re being judged, and you focus on making someone else’s life better.

That mindset is freeing.

In acting, it’s easy to get caught up in comparison, insecurity, or self-doubt. But when I volunteer, I feel grounded. I’m reminded that my worth doesn’t come from praise or applause—it comes from who I am and how I serve.

That sense of purpose carries over into my auditions. I walk in not needing validation but already full of value. Volunteering helped me own my space with quiet confidence.

Communication: The Real-World Masterclass

Want to improve your communication skills? Spend a day helping at a food pantry or organizing a toy drive.

You’ll talk to people from every background—strangers, seniors, children, families. You’ll explain, listen, guide, and respond on the fly. You’ll have to be clear, compassionate, and present.

Sound familiar? That’s what performers do.

Volunteering helped me become a better listener. It taught me how to pick up on unspoken cues, how to make people feel heard, and how to respond with authenticity. These are exactly the same skills I use in scenes, especially when I want to connect deeply with a character or audience.

Every moment spent talking with someone in need became practice for my on-camera work. And I didn’t even know it at the time.

Presence: Learning to Be In the Moment

When you’re volunteering, you don’t have time to overthink. You have to be there. If a mom is asking for food to feed her kids, or a child is choosing their only Christmas gift, you’re locked in. Your mind is nowhere else.

That’s presence. That’s focus.

And for performers, presence is everything.

Whether I’m doing a monologue or a scene with a partner, the ability to stay in the moment—to really feel and react without self-consciousness—is what makes a performance believable. Volunteering trained my brain to stay present, even in emotional moments.

Emotional Intelligence on a Whole New Level

Acting is about tapping into your emotions through experiences that have shaped you. So is volunteering. 

Every time I handed a grocery bag to someone at the Salvation Army, or helped organize Operation Santa for families in need, I was building emotional intelligence. I was learning how people react in different situations—how fear, gratitude, shame, and joy show up in real faces and bodies.

That kind of insight can’t be learned in an acting textbook. It comes from life.

When I tap into those real-life interactions in my work, my performances feel deeper. More honest. Because they’re rooted in something true.

Taking the Spotlight Off Yourself

Ironically, one of the best things a performer can do is stop thinking about performing.

Volunteering taught me that it’s not always about me. It’s about showing up, lifting others, and working as a team.

That same lesson applies in every creative space. When I’m too focused on “being good,” I get stiff. But when I focus on the story—on serving the role, the scene, or the audience—I come alive.

Volunteering taught me to take the spotlight off myself and put it where it belongs: on connection.

Confidence Isn’t Loud—It’s Steady

There’s a misconception that confidence means being the loudest, the boldest, or the most outgoing person in the room. But some of the most powerful performers—and people—are quietly confident. They’re calm. Assured. Rooted.

That’s the kind of confidence volunteering gives you. The kind that grows slowly, steadily, and with humility.

You don’t leave a volunteer shift thinking, Wow, I crushed that. You leave thinking, I made a difference. And that quiet pride builds a deep sense of self-worth that no amount of applause can replace.

Give to Grow

If you’re an aspiring performer—or anyone chasing a dream—my best advice is this:

Volunteer.

Not just because the world needs more kindness (though it absolutely does). But because you need it too. You need the confidence that comes from purpose. The communication skills that come from real connection. The emotional strength that comes from being present with someone else’s pain or joy.

Volunteering has shaped who I am as a woman, a mother, and an actor. It made me braver. Softer. Stronger.

You don’t need a stage to perform. You just need a heart willing to serve.

And once you find that? The rest will follow.