In October, I started to think about picking up extra activities of some kind because school and work were starting to feel very dry and monotonous. Going to work from 8 am to 6 pm and then rushing to Langara for a class from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm four nights per week… it was indeed a staid routine, one of which I was becoming frustratingly bored. So, out of curiosity, I started looking for part-time administrative work on LinkedIn. When I opened my app, I caught wind of an opportunity pushed under the “Recommended For You” section: a Board Secretary for Grow Still.
The name of the organization drew my attention immediately. Grow Still, eh? I thought to myself. It can’t hurt to have a look. If I don’t like it, I can just skim another position somewhere else. So, I clicked on the ad and explored the text within. Little did I know that the organization would speak to me in ways that I had never noticed prior.
“Grow Still is looking for a volunteer Board Secretary to support our operations as we grow into a nationwide organization. We serve Emerging Adults, or young adults between the ages of 18 and 32, who need guidance and compassion to steer their lives in the right direction for themselves. With your expertise and efforts, you will be able to change lives for the better. Please click on the link to apply.”
Based on this, I am an emerging adult! I couldn’t believe there was an organization that existed to serve my demographic for once! It all sounded too good to be true to me, but that did not stop me from applying. To my surprise, I got a response in less than 6 hours from the cofounder!
“Hey Richard, I like what I see on your profile. When are you free to chat?”
“Wow, I’m still stunned you’re seriously considering my application. Thank you. How does this Friday at 2 pm sound to you?”
“Works for me. I’ll send you a Zoom link shortly. Chat soon!”
…
Waiting for that Friday afternoon call felt like an eternity. In the time that I was waiting and preparing, I read more about the organization and fell deeper in love with its founding story and its mission. Grow Still was founded by a trio of adults in their mid-twenties who got tired of the feelings of aimlessness and helplessness they were experiencing themselves. What they especially didn’t enjoy was the feeling of not knowing what to do with their lives and being pressured by society’s demanding social clock to have one’s life completely sorted out before one reached the age of 30. This description spoke volumes to me about how I was (and still am) feeling about the state of my life, especially as a late twenty-something reentering college again after a long time in the workforce. A part of me hoped dearly that this cofounder would be relatable and empathetic to my life stage so I wouldn’t feel so alone anymore. This cofounder turned out to be all that and more.
The interview we had was the smoothest I’ve ever had. It didn’t even feel like one — it just felt like a chat between two old friends. Jasmine, the cofounder, was so down-to-earth and sweet and asked very atypical questions. What spoke to you about Grow Still? What do you envision yourself doing as part of Grow Still? What urges you to be better every day? Again, it did not feel like an interrogation at all. If anything, it was a delightful glimpse into the type of compassionate leadership that I craved and wanted to share more of with the world. As we winded our chat down to a close, I wondered if Jasmine would like me in return.
As it turns out, Jasmine did! The way the interview ended was memorable: “Well, I’m not going to take up much more of your time. I want to offer you the position now.” I accepted without a second thought.
Fast forward two months later, I am feeling invigorated and renewed with passion. What people said about giving one’s time was very true: it makes a person that much happier. I have noticed since I joined Grow Still that I have become more lighthearted and more cheerful by default. More importantly, I no longer feel as cynical as before as I have found a meaningful outlet that “scratches my itch”, if you will, to be of service to others. Even though I’m mostly just translating an awful lot of legal documents from French to English and researching more nonprofit operations best practices, I find that the challenge and the purpose behind it all make it all worthwhile. I guess you could say that since joining the board, I’m no longer bored.