<img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-744 aligncenter lazyload" src="http://tcbfundraising.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016.jpg" alt="2016" width="600" height="377" />
My whole social media feed is FULL of comments about how awful 2016 has been. It seems everyone is ready to kick this year to the curb and usher in a new one – “It can’t get worse, right?”
Personally, I’ve had a fantastic year – probably one of the best on a personal and professional level. And I know that puts me in a fortunate position; I’m tremendously grateful. The world outlook? Not so much. I agree, it’s been a pretty wretched year.
In a moment of complete candor, I’ll express my abject terror over what could happen in our political landscape in the coming months and years. Like many, I am still in shock and numb. And I’m afraid. For my family, for my community and for many who I am lucky to call friend.
But what I will not do is subscribe to fear.
I will not allow fear to control me or my actions.
Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of what may be. Fear of the unknown. Fear of taking a risk. Fear of standing up and saying, “NO! This is unacceptable.” Fear of standing up and shouting, “YES! This is wonderful!”
I will not subscribe to fear.
What I will do is champion change. What I will do is my best. I will be relentlessly passionate and I will commit. If there was ever a time to not sit on the sidelines, this is it.
What I will do is love and acknowledge the people who are creating change, who are making a difference.
What I will do is own that our profession, the profession of fundraising, enables people who care deeply to be engaged with their passions. I will own that we, fundraisers, have one of the greatest responsibilities in the world – how awesome is the charge that we have been given?
And I don’t mean in a “Dude, that’s awesome” way. I mean in a, “We should stand back in awe” of what we get to do.
There’s no room for fear in that responsibility.
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