If you have been a Service Provider in the traditional sense of the word, you have likely found yourself employed within the health care and human services system. You derive an income from this work and you are tasked with the fulfillment of organizational missions and mandates. Sometimes, this aligns with your personal value system and motivations for contribution. And sometimes, it does not.
You may be longing to more fully integrate your personal ideals into the service you offer. Perhaps, you have been recently inspired to learn more about alternative practices and approaches that may not fit in with the western based ideologies of the agency you work for. This is often true for Service Providers who find themselves curious about spirituality and energy-based modalities. If you’re lucky, your organization supports your interests and offers opportunities for you to share what you are learning and incorporate your discoveries into the service you provide. However, this is often not the case.
I recall when I first became interested in the spiritual element of service provision. At first, I sought to offer courses through my local college where I had been employed on a part-time basis. I pitched my idea of developing and integrating more courses regarding spirituality into the existing health care and human services programs. I was told that the college was a secular organization and the spiritual focus of my suggested courses would not align with the current approach.
Some time later, I began to share my new learning within the community based rehabilitation program I worked for. And they received my suggestions for integration with open arms creating space for team discussions, professional development activities, and a new discourse related to the agency’s policies and procedures.
Sometimes, you just have to keep trying.
Other times, your desire to contribute from your unique perspective may lead you in a different direction. Your longing to connect with like-minded people and to offer service from a place of personal integrity may inspire you to strike out on your own.
And many Service Providers these days are doing just that. They are moved by a budding entrepreneurial spirit that motivates them toward a more independent career aligned with their deepest personal values and what it means to them to be of service in the world.
Honor Yourself with the Gift of Preparation
This journey requires courage, commitment, and stamina. Resources and supports are necessary to take the dive into private practice. As a trailblazer, you will find yourself managing aspects of daily operations that until now had occurred behind the scenes ~ the responsibility of someone else.
For many Service Providers, this is when they come face to face with the challenge of blending business with compassion. We don’t like to talk about money when it comes to serving humanity. The closest we come to that when we work in traditional settings is to focus on the lack of funding. At times, we may struggle with our need to derive a salary and our desire to be altruistic in our approach.
And it is this clashing of philosophical ideals that creates one of the greatest challenges faced by Service Entrepreneurs. It was one thing to say that funding cuts have limited what you can offer and another thing altogether to increase your rates for the services you provide. That’s a pretty big leap.
But it is necessary for all Service Providers, whether traditional or alternative, self-employed or working for an organization, to embrace the desire to not only survive; but to thrive in this world. And it is possible to create this space without compromising a compassionate approach. Money can’t buy you love, after all.
Join Us
In the next episode of Serving Consciously, my guest and I will take an in-depth look at this connection between money and service. Anneke Krakers is a Social Worker and Entrepreneur living in the Netherlands.
Anneke received her Social Work degree in 1987 and had several jobs over the years. She found that she began to lose her passion for the profession and had many frustrations related to money, workload, visibility, and unemployment.
Channeling her frustration into action, Anneke started her own business as a Social Work Entrepreneur in 2006. She faced many struggles and challenges in this new journey and eventually created a thriving business. Anneke helps Social Work Entrepreneurs all over the world establish and nurture their own practices. Learn more at https://annekekrakers.com.
Anneke created the Basics in Entrepreneurship for Social Workers program that involves a proven 7-step system to help build businesses in 8 weeks. Click here for the details https://annekekrakers.com/basics/.
You can also take this quiz to learn more about your personal Entrepreneurial style https://annekekrakers.com/test/.
Please plan to join us at 12pm PST on Friday May 25, 2018 at www.ctrnetwork.com. See you there!
Let’s get started!
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