Rethinking challenging emotions and managing mental fatigue.
Life doesn’t always stay sunny, and emotions don’t always involve smooth sailing. In the world of nonprofit endeavors, you face storms that can stir up frustration, doubt, and even compassion fatigue. So, how do you navigate these turbulent emotional waters without sweeping yourself away?
As my therapist would say, use the power of #Rethinking. Rethinking involves challenging our initial negative interpretations and shifting to a more constructive perspective. Here’s what my therapist Lorrene would say (Shoutout to Lorrene):
List Your Options
In any situation, you have choices. Sara felt overwhelmed trying to manage her nonprofit's social media while also overseeing three programs and fundraising. Instead of panicking, she made a list:
Seeing options on paper helped her path forward.
Notice the Source
Consider where feedback comes from. When the board chair constantly criticized Anne's leadership, she initially felt defeated. But upon reflection, Anne realized this person resists change and new ideas in general, not just hers specifically. Recognizing the bias helped Anne take it less personally.
Imagine
Envision an empowering scenario. Fatima typically imagined donors saying "no" and rejecting her nonprofit's request for support. As an antidote, she started picturing donors eagerly saying "yes" and high-fiving her team. This new mental image boosted her confidence as she entered meetings.
Praise Yourself
Find opportunities for self-praise. Diego used to focus on tasks he hadn't yet finished at the youth center he ran. He shifted to first acknowledging all he had accomplished so far each day before assessing what remained. This spirit of self-celebration increased his motivation and job satisfaction.
Learn from Experience
Extract lessons for the future. When Roberto's latest awareness campaign didn't get the turnout he expected, he resisted the urge to self-criticize. Instead, he asked himself what worked well and what could be tweaked next time to have greater community impact. Reframing "failure" as growth relieved self-judgment.
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Create a New Story
Retell your narrative in an uplifting light. Early on, Camila saw herself as “just a struggling nonprofit founder.” But through counseling, she reshaped her inner story to “a visionary leader making a difference, learning as I go.” This edit to her self-concept boosted resilience.
The next time you feel slammed by difficult emotions, try one of these rethinking strategies to regain your footing. Shift the lens from temporary discomfort to overarching purpose. Validate what you feel in the moment, then reconnect to the vision driving your mission.
I hope these rethinking tools equip you to navigate the turbulent seas with more resilience. If you need additional strategies, I'm here.
In your corner,
Cody
P.S. Emotions act like waves – they come and go. But your dedication to your mission remains constant.
Book Cody Hays to Speak at Your Event
Hey there! It’s me, Cody Hays with Marketing Mission. In my past eight years as a nonprofit marketing strategist, I've worked with 30+ nonprofits to maximize their marketing and reclaim their team's time.
I speak to audiences all over on how to implement marketing strategies and raise more money online –– without burning out.
I'm an event speaker with 10+ years of experience speaking to different audiences large and small. I've presented at over 20 large-scale conferences, events, and taught workshops at numerous other private organizations and associations like the Legal Foundation of Washington, Future Business Leaders of America, Network for Good, Givebutter, and more.