In our VISTA Spotlight, our OneStar AmeriCorps VISTA members share in their own words about the transformative experience of serving with nonprofits and agencies in Texas working to eliminate poverty.
What does it mean to serve? This is the question that has defined my decision to spend a year with AmeriCorps, despite the seemingly obvious answer. I gravitated to this opportunity, as Imagine Art’s Long-Term Care Operations VISTA, because of this desire to serve. After working a corporate job for three years, I desired to focus more on what brought me satisfaction in my free time in high school and college: working with nonprofits, volunteering, helping people in the community I live in. With this decision came excitement, a deep sense of fulfillment, and a strong ambitious drive to bring my best self to this service. However, this intrinsic desire to serve also came with unexpected consequences. I quickly found that my eagerness to serve and desire to help wherever I could contribute to burnout. Where the beginning of my service was defined by a rapid stream of ideas and energy to implement them, I began to slow down. I was losing sleep, becoming easily stressed, and struggling to find energy. Despite serving others as I had wanted to for a long time, I felt that the way in which I did so was not sustainable. A change was necessary, and to make this change, I began to embrace the culture of my host organization, Imagine Art. When I visited our clients in the art studio in my free time, I appreciated the patience with which they completed their art, and by which other AmeriCorps members assisted them with this process. In difficult times, our team emphasized “working from a place of rest”. In my quest to serve those at Imagine Art, I realized that I couldn’t do so without taking care of myself as well. I try to visit our clients in the art studio at least once a day. This reminds me why I serve, and to slow down and enjoy the experience. In my spare time, I enjoy participating in group activities or art projects with these individuals as a way to connect with those I indirectly serve, and to remind myself to be patient with myself so that I can perform my best service in the long run. Through this process, I’ve realized that service is not only defined by what we give to others, but also how we nurture ourselves in order to put our best foot forward for those around us.