The first month of 2019 is almost over.

Have you taken a breath?

With so much focus on forward movement - the next donor meeting, the next gift, the next campaign - we hereby give you permission to reflect.

Think of one moment of pure, bubbly, insanely happy joy from 2018.

Go on...

Do it right now...

How can you make more of this joy in 2019 and fill it with all of your favorite things?

If you need some inspiration, check out our latest podcast. We review our very favorite books, movies, places, wine, food, advice, realizations and generous moments from 2018.

Here are a few to get you started:

We're obsessed with Dear Madam President by Jennifer Palmieri. This letter to our first woman president spotlights the way we think about powerful women, challenges us to embrace emotions (yes, even at work) and reminds us to trust our gut.

P.S. Jennifer is our keynote speaker for UPLIFT! If you're a woman in development, register today!

One of my favorite places on earth is the Raggeds...

Just back from CASE District VI!

We met amazing fundraisers from universities and community colleges all across the country.

This conference was a huge reminder of 3 things every fundraiser wants to be successful.

1. Partnership:
   • With your boss: Bosses have a huge impact on your work life. You stay because of them. You leave because of them. It can feel like your boss controls your destiny. In our session, How to Make Your Boss Love U, we talked through habits to take control of your own destiny - to measure the metrics that really matter to your success - to write visit reports that demonstrate your insane awesomeness.
   • With your donors: You help donors make real change. You have the skills to do ANYTHING, but you choose to raise money for a nonprofit. (P.S. You're insanely awesome!)
2. Mentorship:
   • Fundraising can be isolated. No one sits next to you to tell you what you did right or wrong. You need advice from fundraisers who've walked in your shoes - who've been where you are....

Nancy and I are definitely addicted to learning.

We signed up for seven conferences last year.

They have fundamentally changed us in amazing ways.

We want this for you!

So here are 7 reasons you MUST attend a conference in 2019:

1. Inspiration: Fresh perspective, amazing speakers and memorable quotes abound at the best conferences. 

Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist at Canva, inspired us at Social Media Marketing World. Guy gains 900 new connections on LinkedIn every day. How? He takes a stand - on politics and everything else. He believes that standing up and standing for something matters, in life and on the internet. 

Kawasaki shared this inspiration from Elie Wiesel:

"We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."

We were so blown away by Social Media Marketing World, we wrote this blog about it.

2. New Ideas: 6 months or 6 years into fundraising, you always always need new ideas!...

This week, I've been reminded of the beauty and the pain of fundraising.

THE BEAUTY

Variety - In fundraising, every day is different. You decide who to call, where to go and what to say. You're constantly trying new things, meeting new people & traveling to new places (even if a lot of those places are Starbucks!).

Learning - Every new conversation yields a new idea, life lesson or new aspiration. Donors share their secrets to retiring at 50, their dreams for how they'll be remembered and their family recipes for chocolate chip cookies.

Generosity -You see the very best in humans. You sit with someone as they decide to give their money away. They could do absolutely anything else with that money, but they choose your org. That's magical.

THE PAIN

Paralysis - When you don't know who to call, where to go or what to ask for, your office can feel like prison. You have those brutal days - where you just stare at a list of names for hours, but never actually send an email or pick...

"We've loved it here, but we have to quit."

Last October, Nancy and I sat down in our boss's bright, huge corner office and quit our six-figure jobs in higher ed fundraising.

We cried.

We apologized.

We laughed nervously.

We cried more.

But we did it. We quit.

As the year anniversary of our last day of "work" and our first day of entrepreneurship approaches (November 1st! There WILL be wine!), I can't help but reflect.

Why did I quit?

People thought I was crazy.

I'd been there for 10 years.

I was leading the largest team.

I had a big, bright corner office.

I had insurance.

I had a pension. A pension! Money for life that keeps growing the longer you stay!?!

I liked my job. I loved my team. But...

I wanted to do more.

To help more people help more people.

To help fundraisers across the country raise more money.

To help nonprofits everywhere make more change.

One year later, it's happening.

Fundraisers Monthly members are getting more visits, having better conversations and raising...

What does it take to be a fundraiser?

I know, I know. There have been hundreds of articles written on this (including this one from us) and hours of conference sessions devoted to it.

But this week's got me thinking differently.

You, my fellow fundraiser - you're crazy special.

I was terrified for the first 3 years of my career (4 if I'm being totally honest).

I fell into my very first fundraising job - believing if I could sell coffee to grumpy morning people, I could surely raise money. (Helpful career hint: it's not the same AT ALL!)

After two years sorting through paper files and "raising" a tiny bit of money as it fell into my lap, I talked my way into a bigger, better job in a bigger, better town.

I felt like a fraud.

Not only at my job, but with donors.

I had no confidence - no roadmap - no clue where to go or what I was supposed to talk about.

I walked into dozens of immaculate homes, corner offices and Starbucks completely terrified - believing I would say something...

It's summer and the livin' is easy...except we still have to work!

If, like us, you want to squeeze every bit of joy and awesomeness out of both work and play, we commend to you the following hacks.

1. Thunderbolt from the blue (okay, actually, via the Amy Porterfield podcast, from Brooke Castillo): 

Don't sit down to "work." Sit down to produce. Give yourself (way) less time than usual and settle for imperfect, but Get. It. Done.

This is so huge! How many days do you "work" so hard, only to realize you haven't actually accomplished anything on your impressive to-do list? 

Pro-tip: Take your top priority and give yourself two hours to accomplish an actual, tangible result (you got the appointment! you drafted the proposal! you planned the trip!).

We can hardly say how amazing this is. You feel free and in charge of your work at the same time. You get more done in less time and get to go have some fun already. Give it a shot!!

2. Very much connected to #1, Don't do what...

If you've been watching the NBA Finals, you've seen Uber's new Moving Forward campaign or Mountain Dew's Kickstart...um, drink? soda? I never know what to call Mountain Dew.

Just like Uber and the Dew, nonprofits need to boost awareness. How do you spread the word without an NBA Finals-sized ad budget? Read Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Wharton marketing professor, Jonah Berger. Berger reveals six key principles (STEPPS) to help you craft contagious content:

• Social Currency - We share things that make us look good.
  • How do you make the donor the hero of your story?
• Triggers - Top of mind, tip of tongue.
  • What cues make people think of your org, the problem you're solving or the change you make?
• Emotion - When we care, we share.
  • Donors give from the heart. Focus on feelings.

• Public - Built to show, built to grow.
  • Show, don't tell. Use more video, photos & testimonials to truly demonstrate change.
• Practical Value - News you can use.
  • How can you highlight your...

It's Friday! We're looking back on a week full of inspiration. Hope you are, too!

Check out The Crossroads of Should and Must. This hardcover book is meant to be held, dog-eared, read and reread. Written by artist and designer, Elle Luna, each and every page is art, color and inspiration.

If you're facing a big decision, wishing for change, but unsure if it's right or just need a reminder that you're on the right path, read this book!

We're inspired by the podcast This Is Love. Created by the Criminal podcast team, these are deeply personal, quirky, funny, tragic and awe-inspiring stories of all types of love. In a time when we don't hear much about love and connection, these stories give me the warm and fuzzies (and a few tears).

One of my favorites is Episode 2, Something Wild and Large, about a 17-year old swimmer who encounters a baby grey whale in the Pacific Ocean.

We're also listening to our own podcast, Episode 7: Jen Sincero's 10 Secrets to Badassery. The big idea:

YOU...