One of the best lessons I've learned my whole life, I learned this year, and that's that down time doesn't have to get you down. Earlier this year when my job was eliminated, I wasn't sure exactly how the coming year would play out, but I had been expecting the news for three months or so, and I knew anything was better than the waiting to hear.
About a month after I was "let go", I emailed
Women's Bean Project, a non-profit I've always liked in Denver, to see what kinds of volunteer opportunities they had. I was impressed that for a relatively small-staffed entity, the Bean Project has their volunteer ducks in a row.
They asked me to join the Communications Council, a small group of women who help with media, marketing and communications projects. At most we each dedicate about one day a week of our time. I also have worked at a handful of art fairs on the weekends, selling the WBP products (bean soups, spice packets, dips and salsas, cookie mixes, coffee beans, jelly beans) which is fun and easy. Everything makes a great gift idea, and people (including myself!) are quickly sold after one taste of the
chocolate covered espresso beans.
Women's Bean Project's goal is to give women from backgrounds of chronic poverty in Denver job training, life skills and work experience in the food industry, but they also have given me (their mere volunteer!) good
work experience while I'm unemployed, and something unusual to speak to interviewers about. I'm beyond grateful that this mutually beneficially opportunity intersected my life at the right time.
I've also met an incredible amount of interesting people throughout my job search, many who when they call to tell me they're proceeding with another candidate, have
genuinely and
generously offered to keep an eye out for opportunities in their own network for me.
Last week I met with a small group of
volunteers that make up a Young Professionals Council for
Make-A-Wish Foundation who invited me to join their council next year. This opportunity wouldn't have come into my life if I hadn't interviewed at Make-A-Wish earlier this year. My favorite thing about this org is their mission, that's so eloquently put: "
To enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy".
So jobless or not, things are really working out for the best and lately I feel
entirely grateful. I wish you all to have as much to be grateful for as I do, both this year and in the new year.
- Lara
clothes drying in the snow
me in my new blue Christmas coat and somebody's rogue monkey in the window behind me... Meg's chilling in the snow in the reflection
One of the best lessons I've learned my whole life, I learned this year, and that's that down time doesn't have to get you down. Earlier this year when my job was eliminated, I wasn't sure exactly how the coming year would play out, but I had been expecting the news for three months or so, and I knew anything was better than the waiting to hear.
