Contribute to Something Bigger: The Healing Power of Service

Wendy S. Huffman | WBN News Global - WBN News Nashville | Dec 2, 2025

Quiet cracking leaves you feeling empty—like your efforts don’t matter. Or that you don't care if they do. Widespread Quiet Cracking is when this feeling caused by collective trauma, impacting all members of our communities, not just executives. More and more people from all walks of life report feeling checked out, disconnected, alone, lethargic and lost.

One of the fastest ways to restore meaning is to contribute to something larger than yourself.

When you give, mentor, or volunteer, you interrupt burnout’s cycle of isolation and depletion. Contribution connects you to community and reminds you that your life makes a difference. Research consistently shows that service lowers stress hormones, boosts immunity, and enhances overall well-being.

How to begin:

1. Start small. Offer an hour to a cause you care about, such as mentoring a student, helping at a food bank, or supporting a nonprofit online.
2. Leverage your strengths. Contribution is sustainable when it uses your natural skills—writing, organizing, teaching, listening.
3. Join others. Find groups aligned with your values. Shared effort amplifies energy and builds resilience.

What you gain:

• Connection. Burnout thrives in isolation; contribution dissolves it.
• Significance. Seeing your impact rekindles a sense of worth.
• Renewed energy. Service creates a cycle of giving and receiving, fueling resilience.

Healing from burnout and collective trauma is not just about pulling back. We need to talk about it, reach out to others, and sometimes the antidote to is not doing less, but doing more of what matters. Contribution restores the joy of being part of something bigger than yourself.

Tags
#Quiet Cracking, #Burnout Recovery, #Contribution, #Volunteer For Change, #Find Meaning, #Business Resilience, #Service

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Wendy Huffman is the Editor of WBN News Nashville and Africa Editions, where she brings the fun back to journalism—covering everything from local buzz and bold business insights to the stories that move hearts and minds. Her leadership of the Africa Edition stems from her deep commitment to the continent through LetsMakeTheDifference.org, the international nonprofit she founded to empower and uplift underserved communities. 

Connect with Wendy on Linkedin.com/in/wendyhuffman

Sources
—Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society
—American Psychological Association
—National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)