Ops Insights #033 How to Say Goodbye to the Past Year
January 9, 2024 | Read Time: 3 minutes | Written by Jenny Kleintop
Did your last 30 days feel like this: go, go, go; make those calls, close those gifts, process those gifts, pump out those acknowledgments, make those thank you calls …all hands-on deck…go, go, go?
It’s a normal part of fundraising, but it seems each year gets more and more intense with no break during any month of the calendar year. Let’s take a moment to take a breath, and as you head into another year, try not to clear the page and jump right into another year.
Take a moment… what are you feeling?
It’s okay to feel amazing. It’s okay to feel depleted. It’s okay to feel anything and everything in between. Let yourself feel what you feel, and take the space, time, and energy to give 2023 a proper goodbye. This way, you will be ready to gear up for a proper hello to 2024.
For you:
Give yourself a little time to breathe. If you are like me, you’ve just worked double time to help close the year properly. Once you close, take time to let go, unwind, and release that tension.
Give yourself a little time to take in all you have accomplished. Write those accomplishments down and store them safely for future reference. It’s much easier to remember those accomplishments now than it will be down the road when you need to show them to someone.
Give yourself space to recover from a crazy year-end and all that was put on your plate. I’ll never forget a commercial I saw once where the little kid was saying to his parents, “That’s why they call it PTO. Take it.”
Give yourself what you need to feel energized for the upcoming year. I know first-hand what it’s like to keep grinding, and I learned over the years that if I take time to re-energize, I’m much more effective heading into the new year. Only you know what that is for you.
With your team:
Celebrate together. There’s nothing like feeling like a team, especially if you can reflect on the year and celebrate together. Have everyone share 2-3 things that stood out to them.
Talk about three projects that didn’t go as planned and what you can learn from them.
Talk about three projects you nailed together and what you can learn from them.
Give kudos and high-fives and show appreciation for what you and the team have accomplished.
Fundraising is a team sport. Celebrate within your own area but also as a larger fundraising team. Those who lean in together tend to be the ones who are the most successful and the most at peace.
I’ve taken the time, and I’m ready to say it… goodbye 2023, and hello 2024.
Goodbye 2023
Hello 2024!
Now, it’s your turn. Take the time you need, and then say goodbye to 2023 and hello to 2024.
You’ve got this!
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