Taking a break from tech to explore a new world.

(For reference, here is my previous post describing my goals for writing more on LinkedIn).

In the summer of 2021 I quit my job running partnerships at an early-stage startup. I did not have anything else lined up. My decision to leave was less about that specific situation and more about addressing a deep dissatisfaction with my career in tech that had been gnawing in my belly for years. This dissatisfaction came from not having clear answers to questions like:

• Does the work I do in tech really matter in this world? If so, how?
• Am I setting a good example for my kids by working in tech??
• Are humans meant to sit inside, at a desk, behind a computer screen, for the bulk of most days?
• Can I honestly say that I am doing everything I can to improve the human condition, to leave our one and only planet a better place for my kids?
• Does my work allow me to thrive, to connect, to grow, in the best ways possible?

Maybe you have asked yourself similar questions? As I mulled them over, a nonprofit focused on Nature Connection called Outside Now re-surfaced in my world. I had read about them a few years prior while doing research on summer camps for my kids. Wow, what a cool company, I thought at the time. But, the schedule of their camps didn’t work for us, so Outside Now fell off my immediate radar.?

I perused the Outside Now website with my fresh (and unemployed) eyes, and I felt a warm stirring in my chest. Here is Outside Now’s mission:

Outside Now fosters holistic human development through nature connection. We respect the inherent wisdom of nature’s systems and seek to learn as much as possible from them so we can leave this planet better than we found it for future generations. We sustain strong relationships with the land, animals, plants, and each other for our mutual well-being. We nurture a community in which everyone has a sense of belonging and an opportunity for authentic expression, and in which inspiration, curiosity, and gratitude abound.

I loved the writing, I was inspired by the mission, and I was intrigued and slightly jealous reading through the staff bios. I wanted to be involved, and I wanted my kids to be involved.

Fast forward a few months, and I started my part-time job as a Nature Connection Mentor for teens at Outside Now. I am about to wrap up my second year, and I can say with confidence that the work is challenging, and deeply rewarding, on many levels.?

Some of the rewards…?

• I love being out on the land for extended periods of time, moving my body in nature.?
• The mentor role is a wonderful fit for me, and I am eager to grow into new and exciting areas of mentorship.?
• I am involved in work that I know is important and impactful - work that plants seeds in our youth that will sprout into adults who make decisions from a perspective of feeling connected to Nature.?
• It’s been such a joy to build relationships with my colleagues, a group of heart-driven individuals from different backgrounds and generations I would have never otherwise come across.?
• My soon to be 14 year-old daughter Lilah decided to participate in the program this past year, and it’s been a wonderful way for the two of us to bond.??

Some of the challenges…?

• Coming to terms with the fact that I am a true beginner as a Nature Connection mentor. Sure, some of the skills I’ve developed in my professional career carry over, and being a “weekend warrior” into hiking, snowboarding, backpacking, and other outdoor pursuits, does help. But once I saw some of my new peers (many of whom have been dedicated to this work for years/decades) in action, mentoring kids out on the land, it was a bit of a shock to realize how much of a beginner I really am.??
• Related to the above… dealing with imposter syndrome (big time!).?
• Understanding that innovation and decision making happen at a much slower pace at a mission-driven non-profit.?
• Finances, and finding balance. A Nature Connection Mentor salary does not support the lifestyle I have built based on a 20+ year career in tech. How can I find balance and continue to dive into this new line of work??

Please feel free to comment with any thoughts or questions, and stay tuned next week for an exploration of what a Nature Connection Mentor actually does.?

I work part time as a Nature Connection Mentor for Outside Now. To learn more about the wonderful work Outside Now is doing, please check out their website (and consider making a donation!).?