Old article, good idea–volunteering in order to feel better.
It’s generally understood that helping out others makes a person feel nice, but that experience goes beyond just the feel-good glow of altruism. Studies have found that helping others has tangible benefits, both mental and physical, from lowering your blood pressure to reducing feelings of depression. And research hasn’t found any significant difference in the types of volunteering—any kind of helpful act can create benefits.
Here are a couple of lists (also not brand new) of places to volunteer. Just as easy: think of what’s bothering you in the wider world and find an organization dedicated to fixing it. Someone’s started one, for sure.