By Laura Bella
Do you have a hard time saying “no” to people? Is there such a thing as volunteering too much?
Since stepping into the Chair role for Membership, I finally understand the challenges that come along with finding and keeping volunteers for committees. Lately, I have noticed that there are several ladies involved with multiple committees, as I myself have been. While it is awesome that some women want to get involved as much as they can, I see us stretching ourselves too thin and trying to be everything to everyone.
I have struggled with saying “no” to opportunities and events for fear of not getting those chances again. I want to learn and grow through as many experiences as I can, but sometimes saying “no” is a lesson in itself. People may believe that saying “no” means you won’t advance, or you will miss out on something, or people will be disappointed. I have felt this way for a long time, but have learned that the most important thing is that you are true to yourself and to make your own decisions without the pressure of someone else’s opinion.
There is always a fine line between saying “no” and not saying “yes” enough. Sometimes we are scared of situations, such has hosting a large event, and we are too afraid to step outside of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves to overcome those fears.
We all have fears, anxieties, stresses, worries, etc., and sometimes we let them overpower us and we get stuck. When we are able to push through all those voices in our head and overcome these situations, we are one step closer to conquering those fears. Even if it is a small feat, it is important to celebrate your successes.
I struggle with giving myself praise when I overcome a challenge because I say to myself, “Well, you should have overcome that — everyone else does it.” Some things come easier to others, so when I compare myself, I have to remind myself that they may have fears that I don’t, and vice versa. It doesn’t mean one is more legitimate than the other; it just means we all have obstacles in life. Give yourself the credit you deserve and give yourself a break.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laura Bella is the Director of Sales & Marketing for NetCarrier Telecom. She has been in various positions within the company for the past eight years in sales, training, and marketing. Presently she also is Chair of the ACW Membership Committee. She holds a Bachelors in Business Administration, Marketing Management from Strayer University.