If you’ve ever experienced a little charity fatigue, I feel for you. I live in an activist neighborhood, where most days a Savvy Girl can’t take three steps without being pressed for a signature, a membership, a donation, or occasionally, a kidney. You want to help, but it can be overwhelming sometimes. Yesterday I witnessed something that is still washing over me. A woman in a wheelchair has been on the same corner for years, asking for money. “Pam” has had a hard life; struggle, rejection and hunger is etched in her face, making her look far older than her late forties. She’s pleasant and chatty, and… [Read More]
Living With Intent (updated)
Hello – and Happy New Year to you! January holds its own magic, when the year ahead stretches out crisp and fresh, brimming with potential. At a party yesterday, we were asked our intent for the year…not a specific resolution per se… but what guiding intent we want to propel our thoughts, our actions, and our language. One person said she would usher in an intention of non-judgment in her life. I imagined her welcoming it in, like a house guest, and getting comfortable with it at home. In time, it would naturally infuse the way she views people and… [Read More]
The Year of No
Could you organize the group gift? Could you babysit this weekend? Could you lend me some money (again)? Meet Carla. She said yes to all these requests—this past weekend. People who meet her see a dynamic, caring and accomplished woman. They’re right.They’re just missing something—Carla is a people-pleaser. You won’t find it highlighted on her resume, or part of her online profile, but it’s there. Carla struggles to say no. She is warm and caring at her core, so it’s no act—she wants to help. But then she feels resentful later, when her time is stretched. Have you ever suffered… [Read More]