Mixed feelings???

[Reprob8]

About a year ago I started a yahoo group for my area because it is a rural area and there were no resources available. Over time I met others who were interested in helping and about 4 or 5 months ago at the insistence of a neighboring PFLAG representative I started a PFLAG chapter operating under SKAGIT PFLAG's charter. The first meeting nobody showed up except for me, the SKAGIT PFLAG representative and her husband, the next month we managed to get a few more people to show up and at that point pretty much everything was taken over by people who can do it better than I can but I can't help feeling a little sad and even though I don't think it was intentional but through their enthusiasm I feel that I have been left out and marginalized a bit. It seems anti climatic, all of that work and now everything is being done by others and being done better than I can do it. I don't wish that it was different but this is just something that I am going to have to assimilate and work through.

I do feel very good that this has taken off and I hope that it grows legs and becomes self sustaining.

[ghytifrdnr]

I don't know if this'll make you feel any better, but I once read a comment that "There is no limit to what you can accomplish as long as you don't care who gets the credit".
:)

[Reprob8]

I don't know if this'll make you feel any better, but I once read a comment that "There is no limit to what you can accomplish as long as you don't care who gets the credit".
:)


It isn't about receiving credit, it is more like what happens when you work very hard towards a goal and once it is accomplished you feel a let down because you don't know what to do next.

[DiamondDog]

It isn't about receiving credit, it is more like what happens when you work very hard towards a goal and once it is accomplished you feel a let down because you don't know what to do next.

Advertise more?
Get more members?
Put ads for the organization online and in local newspapers?
Get involved more in the organization that you helped to create like become a chair person/president/founder or something?

[Reprob8]

Advertise more?
Get more members?
Put ads for the organization online and in local newspapers?
Get involved more in the organization that you helped to create like become a chair person/president/founder or something?

Just going to take it one meeting at a time, I was sort of used to making decisions but as of the last meeting everything is now consensus based but I am very happy with the people who have dedicated their time to the organization now. The one issue I do have is that the primary focus seems to be social issues instead of support and advocacy issues but if it is the social outlet that gets people to join so be it as long as the other aspects aren't forgotten.

[shameless agitator]

Sounds good bro. Sorry I haven't been there. Accidentally resigned from the yahoo group when I was trying to quit another one and so I haven't known when the meetings were. I'm going to rejoin & start seeing you there. Hell between the two of us we can take over ;)

[leizy]

I've had similar feelings - I try to get comfort, whenever a good thing happens with a program that I started and handed off to others, that without me starting it, that good thing couldn't have happened. I also then have the luxury of blaming any bad things on the people that took it over. Definitely a win-win...

david

[elian]

It isn't about receiving credit, it is more like what happens when you work very hard towards a goal and once it is accomplished you feel a let down because you don't know what to do next.

That just means that one of your dreams has come true and it's time to dream another. Please don't feel bad about starting a local resource in the area and succeeding.

Groups have a natural lifecycle too, they are born, grow, change, adapt, plateau and wane .. it's a normal thing. Depends on the purpose of the group and the nature of the members.

[scubaman]

Feel pride as getting a group started from zero is the hardest part, the other people are benefiting from your efforts with more resources available to them. Think back, what resources did you have available to you? Start other dreams and goals!::bigrin:

[ghytifrdnr]

Just going to take it one meeting at a time, I was sort of used to making decisions but as of the last meeting everything is now consensus based but I am very happy with the people who have dedicated their time to the organization now. The one issue I do have is that the primary focus seems to be social issues instead of support and advocacy issues but if it is the social outlet that gets people to join so be it as long as the other aspects aren't forgotten.


OK, if no one else wants to focus on support and advocacy issues, it would seem that's the area for you to concentrate your efforts. Let those with interest in the social issues work in that direction. The division of labor allows specialization and greater effectiveness.
:2cents: