NO RETURN

It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. ~ Roy Disney

Last week when I went in to see my doctor, she asked me how I was doing.

“Overwhelmed. I think ‘overwhelmed’ is my word for this year” I told her.

My doctor is kind; she told me that this was normal: my body has been busy fighting Lyme infection and that it is easy to feel tired and overwhelmed. Her reassurance made me feel better and reminds me I am doing the best that I can.

Over the weekend, I took some time to review my calendar and goals. I made notes of what I missed and what I wanted to accomplish in the coming week. My health and my family always come first, and with Little League and High School baseball practices and games, I would be spread thin.

I looked at my calendar, “Nominating Committee” jumped out at me; as the Board Advisor in my Women’s Club, it was up to me to coordinate the Nominating Committee and come up with a slate of Officers for the 2019-20 fiscal year.

I dutifully made the phone calls to current Board members, created a spreadsheet of notes and potential candidates, and set up our first Nominating Committee meeting. Many of the Board members were interested in returning to the Board, however, there were three women who had made the decision not to return to the Board; they had other interests and commitments in the coming year.

“Thank you for letting me know. There’s no reason to feel bad or guilty about leaving, you’ve done a wonderful job for the Board over the years” I told each of them.

Each time I said, “There’s no reason to feel bad or guilty about leaving”, the words seemed to sink in; they resonated with me. I liked the sound of those words. I liked how they made me feel.

As “No reason to feel bad or guilty” ran through my head, I changed the “Undecided” comment under “Returning to Board?” to “No.” I decided I was not going to return to the Board.

Once I made the decision, I estimated the number of hours of time I’ve committed to the Board this fiscal year: over 45 hours – more than a week! – of my time. I love the club, however being on the Board adds a layer of commitment to an already full calendar and takes my focus away from my health and my family.

I have served on the Board for four years; I enjoyed each of my roles and the camaraderie of the women with whom I served, however, with my current state of feeling overwhelmed, the Board is one thing I can easily remove from my plate.

There was a time that a decision like this would have been uncomfortable for me. The comfort, familiarity, sense of belonging, and even seniority (“I’ve been a Board member for X number of years”) – losing the connection would have felt like a regrettable loss.

The “I No Longer Want to Feel Overwhelmed Me” can easily see that this role no longer serves me or supports what I need right now; the 40+ hours I am taking back is time for my health, time with my family, and time with my Dad. My values.

It is so much easier to make decisions when you stand in your values.