Sometimes You Can't Do Your Best.

I have been a Board member for a local organization for about six years now. When I joined, I was fired up - ready to make a difference. I was excited and passionate about the work they were doing, the positive changes that were happening, and the impact on lives they were making. I felt like I was a part of a big movement. However, after awhile, my passion started to decrease. My interest and engagement started to fall off. In the quarterly meetings, I multi-tasked and stayed quiet, making no comments, asking no questions. I kept wondering why I was feeling checked out, why I fantasized about walking away. Well, today, it occurred to me what it was.

I realized that I was disconnected for two reasons - some of the more complex matters were over my head and unrelatable to me and the BIG one - I wasn't using my God-given talents and strengths for the good of the group. My skills and gifts were being left on the table and all I could focus on were my weaknesses, which made me feel less valuable, sad, and ineffective. I wanted to quit because I wanted that feeling to stop.

Today, during an all day strategy meeting/retreat, we discussed ways we could help the organization and a window opened which allowed me to offer my strong communication and presentation skills. There was never a time in the previous six years where it occurred to me to share that I could contribute my voice when needed.  That was a gamechanger. I immediately knew I needed to share this with you...

You can't always do your best because what you're being asked to do is not in your wheelhouse. It's not what you're best at. So many people, including myself, have been pressed to believe that we need to learn and do everything that is thrown at us. That's simply not true. The more we move in our strengths and contribute our natural gifts,  the more successful we'll be. You're likely struggling with a task/job because it is not in alignment with who you are. And that's the goal. If you have to work, do a job where you can bring your authentic self to it, where you can bring all that has been given to you to the forefront.

In the undeniable words of Anita Baker, I want to always be "Giving you the best that I've got. " 

Thank you for reading.