Being Operation Shower
One of the things I am working on with Operation Shower (and personally) are the “Commandments” to guide our days as an organization. Gretchen Rubin has a post about happiness commandments, here , which explains where this idea originated for me. I love her first commandment to “Be Gretchen“. This speaks to me on many levels as I try, and struggle, to define — who is Operation Shower?
Here are some things I know about Operation Shower:
- it is an organization started from a place of love and continuing from that place;
- it is an organization put in place to help and honor military families and mothers;
- it is an organization that wants to bring happiness to others;
- it is small with only a few volunteers and limited resources;
- each volunteer is wholeheartedly on Operation Shower’s side and on the side of military women and families;
- it has very big dreams for what is possible;
- it is an organization that loves a party;
- it is an organization which embraces small companies and wonderful products from mom entrepreneurs;
- it is an organization that strives to bring people together;
- it is an organization that strives to bring understanding to others’ about military families;
- it is an organization that tries hard to be “green” if possible;
- it is an organization that must act like a for-profit company if we want to succeed;
- it is an organization that is here for a reason — some of which we have yet to discover.
There have been many times over the past few years working on Operation Shower, when I have come across great non-profits or for-profit companies and the work they do. I would see something inspiring, then go on a tangent and start thinking “we should do that” “we should throw a fundraiser like this” etc. But, I am finally realizing that Operation Shower does not need to be these other organizations. It needs to Be Operation Shower. What works for some companies certainly will not work for all. We need to stay true to who we are and what we want Operation Shower to be, as opposed to trying to emulate others.
So, as we make decisions this year and work to accomplish great things, I can promise you, we will do a better job of “Being Operation Shower” than anyone else!