Stepping back, Moving forward

After two years of being on the board of the Peterborough Poverty Reduction Network I have resigned. I will be eternally grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this network but I feel it's time to move on to new things. I have rubbed shoulders with community leaders and poverty activists. I was able to go to conferences and take a course on Not for profit Leadership. I was involved in hiring staff and supervising staff. I chaired the Vision/ Governance committee for the Mount project.

My confidence from the day that I started in May of 2011 to when I resigned in May of 2013 was a significant difference. I was so nervous when I started in 2011. I had lost so much confidence after having gone through a difficult illness. My biggest fear was that I couldn't follow through. That I would be handed a project and I wouldn't be able to complete it. I prided myself in the past that I was the woman who could get stuff done. But after having gone through all that I have experienced my confidence was so low.

I started out small, taking on a little bit. Then I took on some more and I saw that I could complete what I started. When I took a course in Researching and Reporting and I got a 90 on the course it really boosted my confidence. Then I sat on some hiring committee's for new staff and I offered to supervise a staff. Little by little I walked a little taller.

I took a course called Not for Profit Leadership and after completing it a leadership position came up. I was scared stiff but I offered to chair the Vision/ Governance group for the Mount project. I was leading the leaders. But I surprised even myself with my ability to steer the group to accomplish our objectives.

So what's next? I participated in the Poverty Round-table Action Cafe put on by Church in City on Tuesday. I led a discussion at my table about having a skills fair (more on that to come). I was involved with Church in the City back in 2004 when the flood hit Peterborough. I was the flood relief coordinator, it was one of the most exciting times of my life. I was right in the middle of God's will and loving it. My heart is to see the church in the city and I want to be a part of that. I am jumping in with two feet and can't wait to see what happens.

I don't know where this new endeavor will take me just like I didn't know where my journey with the Peterborough Poverty Reduction Network was going to take me. But what I do know is that I haven't felt this passionate in a long time. I left that meeting feeling energized and alive.