Do I Have to Care Today?

Many of the nonprofit people I’ve known are highly empathetic.

That’s a big advantage for our work. Fundraisers, especially, need to be comfortable with emotions. They’re how we communicate–if we’re doing it well.

But empathy can also have its downside. Some of us truly feel another’s pain. And for most of us, spending all day thinking about all the hurts can take its toll. That’s before we layer, well, life, on top.

So I’m not surprised when I stare at a blank page and think: Do I have to?