Keeping myself accountable

I have reached the end of the first 100 days of Join Me being an official non-profit. The goals were grand, lol. And missed. Not all, but definitely not completed as I had hoped.

So, a run down. The book didn’t get submitted to Amazon for sake because of the site’s formatting requirements. I have tried over and over, again, to no avail. Major fail because I really wanted it up for sale for October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Dang it, anyway. I did reached out to 116 past contacts, goal was 100, to announce the opening. I had 15 follow-up in-depth conversations, which I am told is very good. I’ll take that. I got 9 puzzle pieces completed, an event I was supposed to be at didn’t happen so it was a missed opportunity. I have 2 more events scheduled within the next 3 weeks (does it count if it was scheduled during the first 100 days?) where the puzzle is the focus. I was on a week long online program on narcissistic behavior and had good responses from it, and am scheduled for another videocast in 2.5 weeks. I held meetings with 6 people. I have interviewed 7 people for the upcoming Spotlight on Survivors project throughout October and had to develop the Microsoft form for distribution. Not as easy as I imagined. I did hold 3 men’s domestic violence intervention groups, attended over 6 hours by 18 men total. I trained 19 hairstylists for their state CEU requirement.

I did partner with a grant researcher for a little while, but it ended up not working out because she didn’t have an operating computer. We will try again soon.

It didn’t work out completely as I planned, but, now after writing it out, I’m not disappointed. Keep on keeping on is what the goal needs to be!

Out of my reach

When you are where I am: with a new business, with a significant disability, with a monetary crunch, with a few other issues that I haven’t even identified, yet… it feels normal to have a bunch of things right out of my reach. Success, the next project, my old “go to” fun activities, that dang ripe tomato in the garden. It is the new norm.

Adaptation is also the new approach and today that is what I have to work on. I am ready to publish the workbook, but the formatting requirement has overwhelmed my brain. I farmed it out to a friend. Now I have to find some money to compensate her. I found a friend to write some grants. Now I have to find some money to compensate her. I have some designs in my head for handouts. Now I have to get my head to believe I can design them.

Out of my reach.

I came to the garden to relax, alone. Someone just joined me. Time to go home and get these things in my reach.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes

When your eyes are on a prize it is mandatory to act on the steps and not just think about it. Every “ask”, yesterday, was met with a “yes”! All 5.

Two more survivors for the October project; mayor will be called Monday; check received; and son did what he was asked.

Comfort zone? I’m on fire and the world is my zone.

Putting out a request for an audience

A new strategy. I just put out a request for my social media friends to give me 5 minutes to listen to my elevator pitch for Join Me at the Table. It will give me practice and maybe they will know someone who needs to hear it, too.

Looking at new processes.

Interested?

Project New Peace

When I announced that Join Me had received non-profit status approval from the IRS, my son suggested this would be a good jumping off point. We talked and decided that a concentrated effort to get the name and concept into the community would be the best strategy. Then the planning starts. The first 100 days…

What will it look like? Within 100 days, 100 different “categories” will receive direct contact. 100: Women; Men; Professionals; Businesses, Peace Vision Puzzle. When you write it out it doesn’t feel like a lot. Then you start trying to get it started.

The Peace Vision Puzzle will be a table activity where blank puzzle pieces will be available for people to write or draw their peace vision on it, then all the pieces will be combined to develop a commUnity vision. 100 pieces within 100 days.

I’m on day 16. I better get going. What I’ve done so far isn’t a lot, its the planning. Not always my strongest asset. I like doing and looking back afterwards with a little bit of evaluation. That was then, this is now.

I’ve spoken at length with my physical therapist and her intern about what their response should be if they suspect that someone they are working with is being victimized. I’m creating an infogram to send her and ask for her to share.  I actually start at another location this week and will do the same there. 2 down, professionals, 98 to go. Yes both were women, but I was sharing professional responsibility. I’ve been working with 3 professionals for a possible program in August. 3 more. 95 to go.

This week is men’s group, 15 scheduled, sometimes even with a group this big, maybe only 5 or 6 will show up. But, no matter what, community healing will be a new concept included. I am scheduled to have a table at the Collinsville VFW on September 5th. I’m working on a table activity for bringing the members to work with Join Me in future collaborations.

100 Businesses. My head hasn’t started coming to terms with this component. Definitely needs to be addressed. I do know that I want to talk to some of the local non-profits to start a needs assessment. What’s going good; what’s missing? Community education feels like a hole now, but maybe that’s just me.

Can I do it? I have no choice.