Staying Passionate

Here's my questions for you today...

What do you do to recharge your batteries?

What do you do to stay passionate about your field?

What do you do to not burn-out?

The week before last, I attended the 2015 ALDE International Conference.  It was the first time I've gone in several years, and it was a wonderful conference.  Kudos to all involved!  Almost three solid days of education, training, fellowship, fun, and so much more, with fundraising and communications professionals from all sorts of organizations around the world. I've brought home a lot of new ideas, some of which you'll see in upcoming posts.

The best parts for me - in addition to the education sessions - were reconnecting with friends, making new friends, and recharging and refocusing.  It was fantastic bouncing ideas around, sharing frustrations, and sharing successes.  Finding out what is working for other people and then thinking through how I can apply any of that to the organizations I work with.  Absolutely fantastic!  Learning from experts and from peers.

I also have to say, I am so thankful for all the encouragement I received!  I originally started writing this post as I was flying home - somewhere over Nebraska, and I realized just how thankful I am for these opportunities.  Even though I was physically exhausted and probably should have been sleeping, I was also engaged, excited and inspired. and started writing several blog posts!  It was invigorating!

At a different gathering of social service agencies, a friend of mine brought up the importance of self- care.  The people in the room were primarily direct care staff working with patients or clients of their organizations.  My friend said something along the lines of how important it is to take care of yourself too, because it is impossible to take care of others if you aren't taking care of yourself. She's so right!  And it's so important for us fundraisers as well.  If we're not taking care of ourselves, we're not able to help our donors connect more with our missions and change the world.

We've officially started the third month of 2015.  How are you feeling?  Still thriving off the New Year good vibes?  Are you still engaged and excited about what you're doing?

Or are you starting to feel a bit tired and overwhelmed?  Are things starting to pile up, and you're not sure how to get through it?  If you are that's ok. Take a breath, relax, no worries.  Just realize, you need to recharge and care for yourself too, just like you care for your donors.  One step at a time.  (It's one of my mantras.)  One step at a time, and you'll get where you want to go.

I think every on recharges differently.  Me - I'm still jazzed from this conference, for one.  But there are several others things that work for me.  Things that keep me engaged and focused.  I thought I'd offer them here, just in case they're helpful to you too:  

1. Sleep.  Get enough sleep.  My brain works better with sheep.  Yours probably does too.  Though I will confess, this is one I do struggle with.  Often I find myself working late into the night and then struggling the next day.  And yes, I do fully realize the irony of starting this post while on the red-eye flight home last week...  ;)
2. Get back in the program.  By that I mean, go visit your programs.  What does your organization do that's special?  Visit with the elders served, attend a class, join in the music program, whatever your organization does, go do it!
3. Call a donor just to say thanks and find out more about him or her.
4. Exercise.  It does good things for your body.  Releases tension, relieves stress, gives you a post of great hormones.  It's definitely worth it!  You don't have to be at the gym every day if you don't want to, even a 20 minute walk can make a huge difference.  
5. Crochet. I find this exercise soothing it and meditate it's a way to focus on something and just clear my brain.  I enjoy it.  
6. Reading.  Keeping up on what's going on in my field, reading for fun, reading for something new.  

And is, of course, above and beyond the conferences and other continuing education opportunities that help me stay energize and focused.

If I find myself in one of those overwhelmed days or moments or weeks, I try to take a few minutes to focus on my breathing.  Slow, controlled breaths can help me clear my mind and give me a boost of energy and focus.  Then, I ask myself, "What is the one thing I need to do next?  What is the one most important thing that needs to happen?"  And I constantly repeat my mantra -- One step at a time.  

It's not perfect, but it helps.

So what did you do to recharge?  What do you do to refocus?  How do you stay engaged and excited and passionate about what you're doing?  Let me know and comments!  I look forward to hearing about it.

Thanks and enjoy your Sunday!

Hope the week ahead is a good one!