I'm Not Your Superwoman: Creating a Not So Big Life & Saving the World at the Same Time

In the late 80s, R&B singer Karyn White had a hit song called "Superwoman". The chorus went a little something like this:

I'm not your superwoman
I'm not the kind of girl that you can let down
And think that everything's okay
Boy, I am only human
This girl needs more than occasional
Hugs as a token of love from you to me

The song is essentially about the fact that this woman works so hard to please her man, but he doesn't appreciate her efforts. Finally, she gets fed up and tells him, "Dammit, I'm not your superwoman!" And amen to that! I think of this song now because it reminds me of the relationship that many of us have with our nonprofit careers. We're undercompensated for the most part, even when we bust our asses to put on that big gala or serve 500 additional kids this year. The good work we're all doing to change our world goes largely unrecognized by our bosses and our boards. So it's often easy to get deflated as we struggle to achieve satisfaction and work/life balance in the nonprofit sector.

At the turn of the new year, I wrote about my baggage around living my best life as a nonprofit leader and my personal goals associated with the challenge in separating my work from my personal life. Say what? Rosetta has a personal life? Yes, I do have my very own life outside of this nonprofit craziness. I have family, friends, hobbies, even a wonderfully supportive boyfriend who's been in the mix for six long months. But sometimes those all get neglected in the day to day of being too damn busy to do anything about it. This past Saturday, our Take Back Your 9 to 5 career retreat group hashed out this very conversation in our first follow-up meeting, hosted by the fabulous Elisa Ortiz. (Join our online network at Beyond the Glass Ceiling!) We're reading an incredible book by Sarah Susanka called The Not So Big Life, Making Room for What Really Matters. I highly recommend it for anyone struggling with achieving work/life balance. One of the things I took away from our career retreat group on Saturday is that as a younger generation, we seem to face these issues even more than our predecessors because we have more of an inclination to work hard and play hard. How do we begin to move toward the middle?

Tiffany at Little Red Suit points out that Generation Y just entering the workforce may be turning to workaholic tendencies to cope and get ahead in their careers. She goes on to speculate that workaholism among younger employees may stem from our drive or our intense desire to prove ourselves. Or perhaps it’s an impatience to realize the promise of career advancement and opportunities we were told throughout college were coming to us that has us slaving away at the office and after work.

Lisa Gates gives us some more insight into just how unhealthy it is to be a workaholic. To clarify, just because we work in the nonprofit field, what we do is still considered work, no matter how warm and fuzzy it makes you feel when you finally go to sleep at night. Lisa says, you know you're out of balance when:

• You think that the more plates you can spin, the more you can have it all
• You keep declining invitations with friends
• You forget appointments and blow off commitments (like working out, spending time with family, eating healthy)
• You don't care if you're not on track with your plan
• You can't remember what's in your plan

Does any of this apply to you? Please say it ain't so, as it was for me coming into the new year. I realized that as much as I want to make a difference, going a mile a minute every day can't be healthy for even the best multi-taskers among us. So one of the things I had to come to terms with internally at the beginning of the year is that Rosetta is NOT a superwoman for the nonprofit sector, and I cannot act as the end all be all for my organization. I don't want to be indispensable, especially if it means sacrificing my sanity for the good of the cause. We should absolutely be asking ourselves, even as we work for social change in our communities, what kind of life do I want for myself at the end of the day?

I asked myself many of the questions in Sarah Susanka's book and thought about many of the work/life balance inquiries that Lisa Gates recommends. What is it to be completely fulfilled in life?

• What values, qualities of being must be present for you to have a fulfilled life?
• How would honoring those values impact your experience of work-life balance?
• What are you committed to?
• What actions give you the least joy?

So you know what I did? I decided to eliminate all the work I do that drains my energy by the end of the day. For me, that meant sitting down with my boss and having a real frank conversation about restructuring my role to focus on my strengths and getting rid of the tasks that frustrate me because I basically hate them and pretty much suck at. It was a hard conversation for me because I was fully prepared to walk away from this job if I continued to perform the work of 5 positions for one salary. But you know what? It worked. My boss got the drift and we're now working together to transition my duties to others where it makes the most sense. And already I feel so much lighter and ready to take advantage of the room I'm making for what really matters in my life.

I wonder if we all might have an easier time reducing our sense of "busyness" in our nonprofit work by focusing on simply doing the right things that build on our strengths and energy. This year, if you can't get a raise, how about working with your boss to take some work off of your plate?

What are some challenges or solutions you all have in dealing with this "superwoman mentality" at your nonprofit job?

Quote of the Day

"The same amount of money for half as many non-profits would yield a greater overall return to society."
- Jeremy Gregg

Make a Criticism Sandwich or How to Give Feedback When You’d Rather Get Your Tooth Pulled

Often one of the prerequisites to formal leadership positions is having the qualifications or experience of managing a staff. However for many people, the thought of telling someone else what to do is even worse than getting their tooth pulled! I've heard so many folks in the nonprofit sector lament that if only they were willing to manage others, they could get promoted at their organization. And then, there are some of us that just "fall into" managing staff as our nonprofits grow. Often if you're good at completing your own work and managing your own time well, your boss might translate that into "leadership potential". Whatever the situation, managing others is no joke and I don't know that it's easy for anyone, new or experienced.

But let’s face it. Part of the difficulty in managing others is that you have to be comfortable delivering both praise and criticism. And nobody likes to give criticism as much as they hate to hear it. We’re a confrontation-averse society, and just the mention of ‘performance review’ sends chills up most employee’s spines. Why is that, when all a performance review is, essentially, is an annual meeting where someone gives and gets feedback? This year, I began directly supervising an employee for the first time, and it really freaked me out at first. I was supposed to be responsible for this person's performance AND development?! Oh, the pressure! But. Let me tell you what's worked for me. I made sure to give this person constant feedback, straight and simple. I like the word ‘feedback’ because it’s less intimidating than anything with the word ‘review’ or ‘appraisal’ in it. Feedback is just frequent communication that happens between a manager and her employee, allowing you to build trust and mutual consensus on how to resolve issues on a just-in-time basis. It also provides a mechanism for positive reinforcement of good performance. I delivered my first performance review for this person a few months ago, and it was music to my ears that none of what we talked about was a surprise to them. We had been having an ongoing dialogue and two-way feedback about performance, which made the review just a formality.

So, that’s the general gist of what feedback is and how it helps you manage others, but how should it literally play out in the workplace? What phrases or techniques should a nonprofit manager use to be sure feedback achieves a positive result? Enter Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, who taught me how to make a ‘criticism sandwich’ in two minutes. Say what? Here’s what you do:

* Start with praise, or a positive piece of feedback about something the person has done recently
* Deliver the criticism, remembering to be very specific
* End with another positive statement to end the meeting without being awkward

Make sense? OK, how about an example. Let’s pretend we’re a fly on the wall listening to Jim, an Executive Director and Susan, his Development Director discuss an important grant proposal deadline she missed yesterday.

Jim: Hey, Susan, can we check in for a second?
Susan: Sure, Jim, what’s up?
Jim: I really appreciate all the hard work you put into the gala last week. Our donors really got a kick out of being honored at such a wonderful event.
Susan: Thanks, Jim. I’m happy it turned out the way it did.
Jim: There’s one thing I wanted to run by you, and that’s the schedule of grant proposals we set up at the beginning of the year. Each one, including the one we missed yesterday is really important in meeting our overall budget and I wondered if I could help in identifying other staff to help with the workload.
Susan: No, Jim, that’s quite alright, now that the gala is over, I’ll definitely be able to complete the rest of the proposals we have scheduled. I’m really sorry about yesterday.
Jim: I’m glad we had a chance to talk about it. By the way, nice work on your presentation to the board on Friday!
Susan: Really? I’m glad you thought so….etc. etc.

So simple, right? Chances are, Susan will now be sure to make it a top priority to meet the rest of her deadlines, helping the organization in meeting their annual budget. If you’ve never tried this feedback model, I highly encourage you to give it a spin the next time you need to talk to employees you supervise about improving their performance. It's better than letting minor issues fester until they become big problems. And sometimes, well, getting your tooth pulled is just not an option.

Are there any other methods that others have used effectively in managing staff? What has worked for you as a manager (or as the one being managed)? Please share with readers in the comments!

Quote of the Day

"I'd rather work at an existing nonprofit than create a redundant one."
- Kate Hutchinson

Perspectives Hits 100!

Today I checked my blog stats after a long hiatus of just "letting it be"and was pleasantly surprised to see that 107 of you dear readers subscribe to this blog! So right now I'm sending a huge THANK YOU and air kisses to all of you who make it a point to read my blog on the regular. I really am honored that this many folks are taking their precious time to swing by and even post their thoughts and comments for all the world to see.

Thank you all again and please keep reading! If you have a topic or question you'd like addressed on this blog, or if you just want to say hi, the door is always wide open. Email me at rosettathurman@gmail.com.

So You Wanna Be Startin' Somethin': 5 Reasons You Shouldn't Start Your Own Nonprofit

In the Black community, we have a saying: Don't start nothin', won't be nothin'. What this usually means is that someone is warning you not to push their buttons or otherwise create an unpleasant situation. i.e., if you don't start a fight, we won't be forced to finish it. I think this saying applies to the nonprofit sector in that too many people want to start their own organizations without thinking of the consequences. Yes, there very well may be way too many nonprofits in this country, almost 2 million of them to be exact. Many of them are doing great work, many of them are just getting by on a shoestring and a prayer. Competition for funding is at an all-time high and donors have a wide range of causes to choose from every time they break out their checkbook. The war for talent and quality employees to staff these programs is getting tight. Organizations are duplicating services in many communities, draining the scarce financial resources by operating separate organizations. Now you know I'm not saying nonprofits need to go away, I'm just saying let's not start any more until we can sustain and maximize the impact of the ones we've already got!

Consider the lyrics for Michael Jackson's 1980's hit:

I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)

You're too low to get under (yeah, yeah)

You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)

And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

You get the drift.  It ain't a walk in the park. So here's 5 reasons you need not start
your own nonprofit.

• You want to start your own business, but you think it's easier to start a nonprofit instead and be the boss. Uh uh. Tell your ego to take a hike and think about whether your "business idea" would really serve the community as a nonprofit.
  
  
• Even if you think your idea for social change is the best ever in the world, there is at least a handful of organizations already doing this work. Link up with them to be an employee or volunteer, or join their board.
  
  
• You're sure your new nonprofit is what the community needs, when you haven't even done the market or demographic research to determine whether there really is a need. There may be a problem, but also 50 other nonprofits in the area solving it already.
  
  
• You think that if you build a new nonprofit, the money to support it will come. No dice. That ain't how fundraising works. It's just like creating a new product and you'll need a ton of marketing and outreach to let people know you're out there. And even then, most people won't be knocking down your door to give you a donation.
  
  
• Since it's not a formal business, you think you won't have to follow regulations or file documents with the IRS or worry about financial documentation, etc. Nonprofit management is easy as pie, right? Very wrong. Government officials are cracking down on nonprofit accountability more and more every day, and it just takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch in terms of fraud and misuse of funding. That could be you if you're not prepared for the complicated governance systems involved in managing a nonprofit.

So yes, I hope to deter, deter!  There are 2 million nonprofits around the country that could use
your idealism and commitment, so you need not start your own.  What do you all think -
does anybody disagree?  Is it OK to have a billion nonprofits in this country?

What if Somebody Had Told MLK He Couldn't Lead?

I spent some of the long weekend reflecting on the life of Martin Luther King, watching some of the Book TV programs and the full version of his famous "I Have a Dream" speech on YouTube:



Now you know me. I started to wonder what would have happened if somebody had told MLK he was too young to lead. Let's run it back. MLK became an activist at the age of 26, when he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Then he helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and served as its first president when he was only 28. Now he was a powerful presence, to be sure, but what if no one had trusted him to lead them or followed him through all the marches that helped this country achieve racial equality?

What if, instead of putting Martin up as a viable leader of the boycott that night at a prayer meeting, the older community leaders had said: "Look, Martin. Slow your roll, okay. You gotta pay your dues before you can lead this important march for us. You're just a kid, for crying out loud!"

Oh now, dear reader, you will say, well it was different back then. Civil rights was an urgent topic that required a different kind of leadership. To which I would encourage you to look around at our broken country, here in 2008, and tell me if you don't think MLK's dream has not been fully realized. In our communities, there is still so much poverty and disenfranchisement and racism, that we have a lot of work to do and need a lot of leaders to step up and do it. No matter how old or young you are.

The work of social change takes dreamers who have the courage to make it a reality. Needless to say, we need more leaders in our communities with the spirit of MLK. We need leaders who aren't just serving enough kids to get that next government grant. Or "leaders" who put their ego above their organization's mission. We need the kinds of leaders who will agree with the words in MLK's speech:

We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Announcing Thurman Consulting!

I normally hate to see bloggers hawking their consulting services in every blog post, so I'll just make this one announcement and skedaddle. I just launched Thurman Consulting, where I'm providing practical, authentic, and results-oriented management solutions to organizations working for social change. We're even on the web!


My mission is to help bridge the gap between challenges and opportunities for small and start-up nonprofits in the areas of:

• Fundraising and Resource development
• Strategic Planning
• Financial Management
• Human Resources
• Leadership Development
• Communications & Marketing
  
• Board Development

Thurman Consulting will be a small operation for awhile as I still maintain my day job, but I'm definitely open for business! If you know any small or start-up organizations that could use quality, affordable consulting services, send them my way. Believe me, they will be in good hands. My goal is to help as many nonprofits as I can with fulfilling their missions better.

OK, end of commercial. Have a great long weekend in honor of MLK!

Reader Email: The Leaders of Tomorrow Are Already Here

I received a mind-blowing email last week from a reader who we'll call "Shawn" to preserve anonymity. I'm always a little saddened when I hear stories of not-so-good nonprofit job experiences, because that's what give us such a bad rap! Anyway, Shawn says:

As a member of Generation X (we're on the heals of the Baby Boomer), I feel like I've been forced to sit at the kids table for a bit too long, waiting for positions currently held by baby boomers to open up. But even when they do become available, all too often non-profits look everywhere but within the organization to fill them, either by trading senior level executives with another organization, or looking in the private sector. I have worked for three organizations the last dozen years, two of which underwent changes in the Executive Director position while I was an employee. Neither position went to an internal candidate. In one case, the decision not to go with an internal candidate was so egregious, so clearly the wrong decision, a fact which was later confirmed by the external candidate lasting just eleven months in the position. The other external ED hire faired only slightly better, serving a tenure of under two years.

These "idealistic baby boomers" who have been running non-profits for the last 20 year have tightly held on to the reigns of powers, sometimes to the detriment of the organizations they work for. And when senior management positions do open up, the search all too often begins and ends outside the organization's front door. Organizational board members are to blame as well. An open Executive Director position means the chance to "infuse new energy" into an organization, which to them typically means going outside the organization. It never occurs to them that the "infusion of new energy" they're looking for might be down the hall from the ED's office, waiting for an opportunity to lead. Too often, "young professionals" leave oranizatins for career advancement. I left both of my previous organizations to take positions with more responsibily and better pay. I would have preferred to stay at my last organization, but after five years and no promotions, I decided I had no choice but to move on.

Let's focus on the half of "young professional" who plan to remain in the non-profit sector. And by focus, I mean trust, trust that we have been developing the skill set, gaining the experience to become leaders of tomorrow. We're waiting for our opportunities.

Does Shawn's experience resonate with anyone? Any baby boomers want to comment on the tug-of-war between the generations?

Is Your Nonprofit Job Driving You to Drink?

Over the weekend, my boyfriend and I went to a dinner party where we met a young woman who worked in an international nonprofit in DC. We chatted for a while and she shared with us that her tyrant of a boss and lack of management structure is so stressful that she takes a nip of vodka some afternoons. At the workplace. I was so shocked that people actually do this in the nonprofit sector that I neglected to ask her the most important question in all this:

If it's so bad at your nonprofit job that you feel the need to drink on the job, why the hell do you stay there?

A sad case to be sure. Can anyone speculate as to why anyone would stay in such a destructive environment?

Photo by Jason Michael

Fellowships & Scholarships for the Nonprofit Professional on a Shoestring Budget

Professional development is one of the most important things a young nonprofit professional can do to further their career. The challenge for most of us is the lack of funding available in the budget or our wallets to allow us to take advantage of the many wonderful opportunities out there to help us move up the nonprofit ladder. So here are some AMAZING opportunities for the nonprofit professional on a shoestring budget who wants to advance their career in the field. From personal experience or word of mouth, I know these are definitely some of the best scholarships and fellowships out there. Now all YOU have to do is apply! I know, I know, how generous of me. Don't ever say I didn't give you anything!

The Fundraising School at the Center for Philanthropy offers some of the most comprehensive training in fundraising and resource development at Indiana University in Indianapolis. The Fund Raising School helps thousands of fundraising professionals per year around the world achieve new levels of success. The School teaches the historical and philanthropic context, the current issues, and the art and science of fundraising and philanthropy. You gain the knowledge needed to build your organization’s resources with confidence and success in an ever-changing society. Available courses include Fundraising for Small Nonprofits, Developing Major Gifts, Managing Capital Campaigns, and Planned Giving. Get yourself a Dottie Rosso Scholarship and you can cut your costs in half!

Columbia Business School's Middle Management Program at the Institute for Nonprofit Management is an intensive eight-day program that prepares you to support your organization’s overarching goals for mid-level managers with two to five years of experience, including program directors, administrators and executive directors of newer community-based organizations.. You will receive a solid introduction to the general management concepts, making this a useful tool for organizations developing multilevel management teams. You learn how to: design and implement strategic program goals, develop your ability to delegate authority and responsibility effectively and to manage upward, use financial data to make strategic decisions, and manage conflict and negotiate to achieve win-win solutions. Partial scholarships are available for up to 60% of program costs. Tuition includes materials, meals and double occupancy accommodations.

Carol H. Pitchersky Development Fellowship
Carol H. Pitchersky, a fundraising pioneer who passed away on October 19, 2004, is being remembered by the nation's civil rights community through the Carol H. Pitchersky Development Fellowship, established through the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund. Eligible candidates are young adults between the ages of 24 and 35 with an undergraduate degree and demonstrated commitment to civil rights and social justice as shown through course of study and work experience. The ideal candidate is someone who has at least two years of work experience beyond college and can demonstrate an interest in a development career through work choices, volunteer experience, independent study, etc. The Pitchersky Fellows serve one to two-year terms of employment with a progressive organizations. While assisting development operations, Fellows are introduced to the work of the national civil rights coalition and receive mentoring from the committee, in addition to training.Click here to download the Fellow Application. Application deadline February 1st!

The Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society’s Emerging Leaders International Fellows Program provides leadership training through applied research and professional mentorships for young scholar-practitioners in the nonprofit sector. Fellows are based at The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, where they design and pursue an individualized research project and participate in a seminar with Third-Sector leaders. Fellows will participate in a 3-month seminar (Monday March 3 to Friday May 30, 2008) on the U.S. and international voluntary sectors. Fellows are expected to produce a 25-page research paper on their findings, which will be presented in the seminar. They will learn about the work of key agencies, meet with foundation and nonprofit representatives, and attend selected workshops or conferences. Each fellowship covers the cost of tuition and includes a $1,300-per month stipend (less applicable taxes and fees) to cover living and research-related expenses. The Center will also provide single-room dormitory accommodations with shared facilities at International House (adjacent to Columbia University), as well as economy round-trip air travel to and from New York City. The program also offers Diversity Fellowships for candidates from communities of color under-represented in the grantmaking sector in the U.S.

StartingBloc Institute for Social Innovation Fellowship
Each year, working with an admissions committee composed of graduate school admissions directors, we select a cadre of emerging leaders to become candidates to the Fellowship program. Once accepted into the Fellowship program, candidates attend one of our regional Institutes for Social Innovation (currently held in New York City and London).At the Institute, candidates learn industry best practices around corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, and sustainability. Corporate innovators, social entrepreneurs, and academics discuss cutting edge strategies around implementing social and environmental change through enterprise. After successfully completing the Institute for Social Innovation, StartingBloc Fellows enter our alumni network. They are exposed to job and internship opportunities, graduate school opportunities, and business plan mentoring. Scholarships are available for the program fee, to those with demonstrated financial needs.

Blogging Columbia Business School: Leadership, Strategy and Conflict, Oh My!

My dear readers, I've been blogging sporadically trying to juggle my real work with the intense preparation for a week of professional development outside of my world in Washington, DC. Yes it's a good thing that I'm on my third day of residence week for Columbia Business School's Middle Management Program. It's being taught through their Institute for Nonprofit Management, and so far it's the best week of my life. The Heldrich is a beautiful hotel in New Brunswick, New Jersey, across the street from Rutgers University. Imagine waking up every day to wonderful artwork everywhere, comfy beds to sleep in each night, and the best meals you can imagine. You name it, we got it. Knowledgeable and warm professors, experienced and supportive colleagues, and a climate that makes you want to wake up each day to learn something new. I'm learning so much from the professors and my 24 peers in every session. There's a good mix of managers from large organizations, small ones, and even a start-up nonprofit.

We've done A LOT so far, with sessions on leading and managing strategically, Myers-Briggs, performance management and feedback, negotiation skills and conflict resolution, and fundraising and resource management. Michael Park of the Robin Hood Foundation is co-teaching us negotiation and conflict resolution and he is AWESOME! If you don't do anything else with your life, you must read Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. It will change your world. The best thing about this program is the emphasis on experiential learning and that we are able to role play a lot around conflict and making the "ask" in fundraising, and negotiation. This way we get the kinks out before we try it out for real in our organizations. A really exemplary part of the program was Diane Dean, who was formerly at the Girl Scouts who taught us everything we needed to know about fundraising successfully in just 3 1/2 hours. I'm not kidding! This is really the kind of program that makes you want to go back to your nonprofit organization 9am on Monday morning and create meaningful change with your newfound skills. This is the kind of place where every moment is an "aha" moment, so I'll try to share some of the juicy nuggets that I've grabbed up so far:

Your job, and the challenge of being a leader is to take the organization's big idea or vision and turn it into performance and results

Leading strategically means being able to align your staff and planning with the organization's vision or theory for change

Effective strategy is achieved when all aspects of the organization are running on the same track and "speaking to each other" - finance, fundraising, programs, board, etc.

A definition of strategy: deliberately chosen change

Strategy should be the discipline that guides your behavior in the present

Instead of "competitive advantage", nonprofits need to be clear about our "value proposition" - it's not that we're the best at what we do or that we've been doing it the longest, it's about the benefit to the user/funder, etc. What value do we add?

We need to see competitors as allies in the nonprofit sector and work together because even if all of us could be fully funded to fulfill our missions, we still wouldn't solve all the problems we are trying to solve

The best way to diffuse tension in an interaction or conflict is to listen

In negotiations, it's important to listen first, to be sure the other party feels heard

Debunk the myths of negotiation: disclosing the facts does not make you vulnerable, and taking a position too early in the game is not the best way to go

There's SO much more, believe me, that I'll try to cram into future blog posts. And more on my program experience later. Right now I'm full of ideas and inspiration to tackle the biggest issues I'm facing at my organization knowing how to better manage & lead others to achieve the greatest value for my nonprofit. I'm definitely feeling the words of Carl Sandburg tonight:

"I'm an idealist. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way."

Photo, "Infinite Loop", by kurafire

Quote of the Day

"Compassion is my art."
- Grace A. Ali

On Dreams, Reality, and Living Your Best Life in the Nonprofit Sector

Me and my best friend Stephanie at the beach in Tampa, Florida.

"I got dreams, but dreams don't keep the lights on."

- Little Brother, "Dreams"

So here we are in 2008, the time when everyone is all optimistic thinking about their resolutions and commitments for the year. And I'm no exception, taking the time to reflect on all the dreams I want to accomplish this year. Over the holiday, I spent some good time away in Tampa, Florida visiting family and friends. I have to admit, being away from the hustle and bustle of nonprofit life in Washington, DC was amazing. I got a ton of email on my PDA, but I didn't answer any of them. I didn't check voicemail, either. The biggest gift I gave myself this Christmas was to be fully present in the moment of eating good 'ol fattening holiday food, laughing with my uncle and cousins and clowning around at the beach with my best friend. For a few days, I felt so deeply the powerful words of Omar Khayyamm, "Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life."

Over the holiday I also had my 25th birthday on New Year's Eve. As with any "milestone" age, you start thinking about where your life should/could be. Like most people, I want to be happy with my career, but also make enough money to live a good life. I want to be financially secure. I want own my own home one day. I want to be able to provide for my family. Now these are normal hopes and dreams for any young person, however I am painfully aware that in the nonprofit sector, these goals are harder to come by than in any other field.

At any given time, it's important for me to be able to look at myself and ask the hardest questions of all: Am I living my best life? How does my career in the nonprofit sector fit in with my dreams and plans for my ideal future? The hard part is that my work is so intertwined with my personal life and mission that it's hard to separate the two. It's difficult wanting to be a force for change when you can't live your own dreams at the end of the day. I came to the nonprofit sector bright-eyed and broke. Now I'm still bright-eyed, but I'm pretty damn tired of being broke.

So am I living my best life working in the nonprofit field? How do I keep my sanity and be financially secure in the sector I love?

If this moment is indeed my life, 2008 should be filled with more moments for the people I love, the things I like to do when I finally leave the office, and my dreams for the future. What am I committing to exactly? For starters:

• Leave the office each day by 5:30pm
• Mentally leave my nonprofit work at work when I do come home
• Separate my personal success from my nonprofit's success
• Have the courage to express to my current and future bosses that I need to get paid for doing good work
• Value my personal life more over my nonprofit work life
  

So there's my baggage dump on the first day of 2008. Did anyone else figure out the meaning of life over the holidays?