I am now a Rotarian

Well, I'm proud to report that I am now an official Rotarian. Last week I was officially inducted into the Downtown Portland Rotary Club where I had to make a short introductory speech in front of about 200 people. I must admit, it was nerve wracking! I was VERY nervous. I'm not the best public speaker and getting through those few minutes was a huge personal feat to say the least. But when I stepped off of the stage I felt good about what I said, was pleased with how I think I came across to the audience and was proud that after putting myself in that uncomfortable situation, I prevailed in the end by confronting my fears head on.

So....what is a Rotarian you ask? Well, the Rotary is a club where business leaders connect to make a difference in our community. Rotarians value community service and high ethical standards, both of which are very important to me.

The Portland Rotary club has taken the lead on a number of major community projects including the Washington Park Children’s Park, Children’s Museum and the rebuilding of Rotary Village at Camp Collins. In addition the group is involved with ongoing services projects including Wheels of Power (wheel chairs for the disabled), community grants to local non profits, education and programs aimed at reducing frequency and impact of domestic violence, mentoring, youth exchange programs, scholarships for local high school students and environmental protection. The Rotary Club of Portland has been making a difference in the lives of its members and in the community since 1910, which I think is something to be proud of.

Since giving birth to Lexi I've had this overwhelming sense of duty to set a good example for her. I want her to grow up valuing community service and it is my goal to find ways to make her aware of how she can help others less fortunate than herself. It's easy to go through life not noticing others. It's easy to get wrapped up in your own world and feel like you don't have time to do much else. But I want to make sure that I make the time and I want my family to share in that belief. I feel so blessed to have all that I do. I wake up each day with such a strong appreciation for my marriage, my husband, my daughter, my family, my friends and my job and it's only right to share some of that good fortune. I believe the Rotary will help me feed my heart, which I feel strongly is something that makes life more fulfilling.

As many of you know, I've not been feeling 100% personally satisfied at work. Although I do feel grateful for the job that I have, I'm not as challenged as I could be and am afraid that if I'm not careful could slip into a period of stagnation, which I know can be hard to get out of. I'm not one to simply go into work, put in my time and go home. I expect more than that from my career. I must make a difference in some capacity. I've come to the sad realization that I cannot change the corporate mentality of my organization (too bad). I will never be successful at "managing up". But one thing I can be successful at is using my newly appointed Vice President status to become a member of the Rotary and in turn become more personally satisfied in the process. I'm a firm believer that you are the creator of your own destiny and do know that if I personally don't do something to change my situation, no one else will.

Through the Rotary I not only hope to feed my heart, but also hope to overcome some of my social phobias. I fully admit that I lack confidence in the social arena. I am not the best at mingling with people I don't know. I tend to be a bit of an observer and don't really come out of my shell until I feel comfortable in a situation. It is my hope (and personal goal for 2008) to learn ways to improve in this area of my life. So, here's to personal growth and to making a difference!!!