So I took the job at the non-profit and am much more excited about it than I thought! It’s not great money, but I get to do things I’m good at (strengthszone) and will be working to improve mental health for the youth in my home state.
After extensive conversations with the Exec Director, I am very pleased with our mission alignment. It’s clear she values what I can offer in terms of a unique understanding of cultural impact on children’s mental wellness. She’s also giving me tons of trust and freedom to assemble a more honoring lexicon to use when describing children’s responses to their emotional experience and supporting them to healthier decision-making skills.
I am contracted to write emotional intelligence curricula, coordinate and oversee the organization’s youth programs, build partnerships within the community with other organizations who offer programs for struggling teens and also those who need our programs, act as liaison to the national Youth MOVE National community, and potentially to offer trainings in the community around how to work with children to increase emotional intelligence and mental health.
This will be a project-based position with no clocking in and out (halleluiah!) I just need to go in every couple of weeks to share my progress on projects and ensure I’m not going too rogue. There will, of course, be other scheduled requirements such as representing the organization at events and offering content to various youth communities, but for the most part, I am free to complete my assignment how and when it works best for me. In fact, I’m even taking my kids to SoCal for a week this month to visit good friends, and it’s no problema. I’ll have to do a little work while there, but that’s okay.
This is a huge relief for me. I’ve not been part of the 9-5 grind for so long, instead enjoying (and thoroughly appreciating) being the captain of my own ship; I really thought I might be unemployable. Every job description I read felt like prison and caused my heart to sink as I thought about going back to Monday Morning Malaise. I may still have to supplement with another part time gig, but I’ll take this any day over the ridiculous job descriptions that sound like they’re designed for a team of 20 people or maybe a superhero or maybe just to make sure you know who owns you.
I know the day may still be forthcoming when I’ll have to succumb and take a “real” job, but I’ve managed to create income and keep my freedom for the foreseeable future and I’m so so so so so grateful.
Restoring Justis 