A message from Amanda

January 26, 2023January 26, 2023 Admin CSAE, csae trillium, CSAE Update

By Trillium Network Council Chair, Amanda Cormier

Somehow it is already 2023, and, in fact, almost February. Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Have you kept them? I admit I do not. Never have. Partly because we all know “resolutions are made to be broken” so why put that pressure on and then deal with the self-judgement? Ha! But really, I feel if you want to make a change – do something new, change something old – why do it on January 1? Treat yourself every day and make those commitments and improvements whenever and however. You deserve it.

I admit I am stretching that into a segue to what I really want to talk about … have you thought about making a commitment to getting more involved in your work community? That’s how I ended up here, volunteering with CSAE’s Trillium network. I had spent a number of years volunteering for organizations around my daughter and my family. I decided it was time to do something related to my career. And I threw myself into CSAE among others. Ask anyone who thrives on volunteering (Sandra … Susan … Rebecca … you know who you are) and they will tell you it becomes a part of you. You cannot imagine not volunteering. Yes, it makes you busier. But it also makes you more fulfilled, more involved, more aware. A huge part of volunteering, especially with your professional association, is the sense of family. Your fellow volunteers may become lifelong friends. And that is pretty awesome.

If you are a volunteer now – thank you. If you were a volunteer in the past – thank you. There’s always a home here for you. And if you are not a volunteer, you may want to try it out … it can be great.

Our lives ebb and flow, our jobs change, our families change. And our terms on committees, boards, and councils begin and end. While change is good, it can also be hard.

This year we have four of our amazing CSAE Trillium network council members who have moved on. To new adventures, new boards, new career pursuits. I am so fortunate to call these four fellow volunteers, now past network council, as my friends. And I thank you all for everything you have done for our community. I miss you already.