Monday, January 07, 2013

Resolve 2013 : Volunteer


"Continuing the Resolve tour..."

Welcome Jenna Bayley-Burke, author of Drive Me Crazy to Writing into the Sunset. What are your thoughts on my New Year’s resolution to volunteer?

I have the opposite problem – for 2013 I’m going to try to volunteer less… Not sure how that is going to work out. My usual method for avoiding adding projects to my schedule is to miss meetings. Unfortunately, that sometimes results in my being volun-told. Ahem.

I’ve scaled down my volunteering before, when I realized I could not do as much with three kids as I could with two. So I know how to downshift. I think ramping up works the same way, just in reverse.

·         Do what feels good – Give your time to an organization or person that makes you feel better about yourself or the world. Right now, I focus my time on helping kids because, well, I love them. As I am cutting my volunteer hours I’ll be letting go of the time I spend prepping projects and focus on spending time encouraging the kids. I’ll make time for that.

·         Know your limits – Sometimes when a new volunteer comes into an organization they are seen as fresh meat and encouraged to over-commit. Yes, you want to help and get to know how to better serve the cause but… baby steps. Start small and add on from there.

·         Encourage others to join you – Volunteering is more fun when you do it with friends. Plus, the more hands, the faster things go. And your commitment will be both to the organization and your friends. Maybe you’re not thrilled about prepping the Meals-on-Wheels bags today, but chatting with girlfriends as you load things in? Who minds that?  

Find Jenna : Website | GoodReads | Facebook | Twitter | Blog| Pinterest  

I'm also including a list of all 9 bloggers and their resolution:

THE RESOLUTION TOUR - January 1 - 9, 2013



Maggie Jaimeson - Take a Vacation
Jessa Slade - Get Organized
Paty Jager - Volunteerism
Linda Mercury - Creating a Literary (or Creative) Life
Jenna Bayley-Burke - Eat Healthier
Cassiel Knight - No More Procrastination
Cathryn Cade - Take Time for those OTHER Creative Passions
Su Lute - Reduce Stress: Find and Follow Your Bliss
Jamie Brazil - Shrink My Closet 


The best way to support authors you like is to friend and fan them on social media sites. If you enjoy the posts from this tour please show your appreciation by liking or becoming a friend or fan. Thank you for stopping in and visiting.  

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wise post, Jenna. You have volunteered A LOT over the past 8 or so years I've known you. Not only for writers, but taking care of friends and relatives, school projects, all kinds of things. I'm glad to hear you are picking and choosing.

Unknown said...

You know, I hadn't even thought about the time I spent as the family go-to girl as volunteering, but it worls much the same way.

Paty Jager said...

Volunteering can be a never ending event if you don't take stock and say no once in a while.

Jamie Brazil said...

Excellent council. I especially like the first, do what feels good.