I come from a long line of volunteers.
My mom was the room mother my entire academic career.
(To this day she can't believe college freshmen don't need room mothers!)
She was the PTA president for years.
(Her photo is in my high school yearbook more than mine!)
My father coached little league baseball and football for over 20 years.
My mother never met a committee she didn't chair.
So, it's not in my blood to be anything different.
I volunteer.
I've been my youngest son's room mother his entire academic career.
I've never been involved in an organization I haven't ended up a board member of.
It's just who I am.
It's a family philosophy I believe in:
"You take your turn, you give back to the community."
But lately, I feel a shift in my thinking.
Things have happened where instead of feeling good about volunteering I'm starting to feel resentful.
Taken advantage of.
Maybe it's because my life is fuller now and I don't have as much free time as I used to.
Maybe now I'm just more protective of my spare time.
All I know is that I don't like feeling this way and I don't know what to do.
What I do know is that quitting is not in my blood.
6 comments:
You sound burned out! Maybe it's time to take a break from volunteering. It's not quitting. It's just a "retirement".
I know exactly what you are talking about. If you volunteer for something, you start feeling like everybody thinks you are an easy target, and you're asked to be on every committee. That's when you find out that others are not as reliable as you, and you end up doing it all yourself. I had to make a decision about what I was willing to do (knowing that it would usually be done with very little help) and what I wasn't willing to do. Good luck in your journey. I know how hard it is. laurie
Let me guess, your the responsible oldest child? LOL
Sometime real life takes over, not that you don't want to help others, it's just that it's time to live your life for a while! Giving you permission, to not be guilty!!! We sometimes get into auto pilot mode, just because we are use to doing it all! Doesn't mean we are suppose to!
xoxo,
Cathleen
I don't necessarily think that if you cut back your volunteering schedule, that it could be considered quitting...having free time is really important too!
You don't have to do it all, my dear!
Sometimes quitting can feel very freeing!
Take a time out! It worked wonders for me.I only volunteer for things I feel passionate about. Simplify and be grateful for what you can do.
All the best, Patrice
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