I was wrestling hard this week with my opponent - the empty blog topic. For most of the week, the empty blog topic was winning. For the last few weeks, I've written about the concerns facing our nonprofit world. They are very real and very big. It's just getting so darn depressing and I couldn't bring myself to write about it.
But then something weird happened. I was thinking of all the negative words: anxiety, fear, worry, etc. Then the old Jamaica tourism phrase popped into my head: don't worry, be happy. This of course led to thoughts about the movie "Cool Runnings." The movie was about a Jamaican Olympic athlete who, for some reason i can't remember, was unable to participate in the Summer Olympics in his sport (track, I believe). However, he couldn't overcome his desire to somehow get to the Olympics.
Instead of giving up his dream, he looked for an olympic sport he could participate in and wound up creating the first ever Jamaican bobsled team. Next, he had to convince his country's olympic committee to enter his team in the Winter Olympics. He did. Imagine, Jamaicans who don't have snow or cold sending a team to the Winter Olympics. Never been done. Until he tried.
I'm sure I butchered the facts here a bit. What was important to me is the inspiration. The movie showed me the true story of an individual who overcame every obstacle put in front of him (government, weather, facilities, talent, etc.) and still realized his dream. He and his team made it to the Olympics. There, they lost and lost badly. But they were there and they finished the race. More importantly, they achieved their goals. It was a fun and inspiring movie.
Why tell you this? Because I think it is time for all of us to be inspired. I am watching terrific campaigns by NHSA, the CAP association, individual agencies and others to preserve funding. They may or may not succeed. Regardless of the result, we still have people to serve. We need to be inspired to find ways to deliver those services with or without our traditional funding sources.
I had lunch with a person yesterday who shared a very unique funding source for their organization. They obtained a corporate sponsor to install solar panels in low income homes. Nothing unique there. Then, they obtained a second corporate sponsor. For every energy dollar saved in each installation, the second sponsor will match and donate that amount to the organization. That's money for services.That's inspiration.
Now, watch a movie. Read a book. Talk to a mentor. Whatever inspires you. Please, just get inspired. Your communities are depending on it.