One of the benefits of being a consultant is that you get the opportunity to work with many different organizations, each of which has its own needs, vibe, and mission. That diversity was one of the things that appealed to me about going freelance, but I’ve found that I can’t quite shake working for nonprofits. There’s something to be said about helping an organization whose mission you really believe in and where you can see tangible results for the community.
I signed a contract with my newest client, Wesley Housing Development Corporation, a week after the recent election. I certainly wasn’t in a positive state of mind after the election results, but signing on to support an organization that provides affordable housing and additional supports to a community much more likely to suffer the potential negative impacts of said election than I personally am, did make a difference in my outlook. It didn’t change my feelings or my concerns, but it reminded me that we all have a choice about where we focus our energy.
I recently had a conversation with one of my friends where I told her that I thought I was begrudgingly a good person. You come across people in life that I call the “true believers,” the people that are genuinely nice and giving and truly do care more for their fellow human beings [or assorted other causes] than themselves. They are energized, dedicated, motivated; and it appears that they really can’t comprehend being another way.
I’m not one of those people. What I am is someone is someone who has a selfish streak, is grouchy when I can’t nap or don’t eat regularly, hates being cold, and really enjoys the comfort of my own routine. I’m also someone who has learned as I go through life that things aren’t always as black and white as they seem and someone who may be actively annoyed at doing something, but who does it anyway because deep down I know it’s the right thing to do.
I will probably never be a true believer. I will probably never volunteer a thousand hours in a year or personally raise large amounts of money or welcome but so many inconveniences into my life. I’m thankful that those people exist. But I’ve also realized that the world needs the rest of us too, the people who begrudgingly go out of our way, even though we might not want to, even though we may we roll our eyes and sigh, because we know it’s the right thing to do.
So while that isn’t the case with my new client – I’m happy to be working with them for the next few months to help improve their communication during this especially busy time of year for nonprofits – another of the benefits of working for yourself is that you can pick your clients and support those who emphasize the greater good. Am I saying I will only work with nonprofits moving forward? No; I’m interested in learning about and working for all kinds of organizations, because a broader experience will only serve to help me grow as a person and be a more valuable asset in the communication and media relations field. But this begrudgingly nice person can only say: nonprofits, I just can’t quit you.