Where to begin?

First, I hope this message finds you and your loved ones well.

As many of us embark on a new fiscal year while navigating through a summer season perhaps unlike any other in our lifetimes, I’m struck at how different life is today for most of us versus six months or a year ago, and how stress and uncertainty seems to rule the day.

Steve Gross, Founder and Chief Playmaker at Life is Good Playmakers, and a keynote speaker at our recent 2020 CSMFO Annual Conference in Anaheim, reminded us during his conference presentation about the power of optimism in his work with children.

I like to think of myself as an eternal optimist, or as some who know me well might say, Pollyanna. However, I must admit that during these especially challenging times, it’s not always easy to remain upbeat. With that said, I’ve been able to draw strength and inspiration from virtual interactions with our members who are finding innovative ways of dealing with some of the unique fiscal challenges in their local governments. I’ve also been uplifted by the fantastic, highly educational CSMFO biweekly COVID-related webinar series.

So as we move into the heart of summer, I try to maintain focus on all that I have to be thankful for, and less on what is out of my control. Concentrate more on the fact that this pandemic will eventually pass and what can I influence in my work life and personal life now in preparation for post-pandemic times. In that regard, I find that if I can be intentional about reaching out by phone at least once or twice a week to different valued CSMFO colleagues, I feel invigorated by the exchange of ideas and the opportunity to connect.

Going back to Steve Gross, in a recent press release announcing a new online course being offered by his non-profit, he said, in part, “Optimism enables children to see the opportunities amidst the obstacles and remain resilient in times of darkness and adversity—it is the cornerstone of social and emotional health. However, the times when we need optimism most are also the times when optimism is hardest to come by.”

It would certainly seem to me as though we are in the midst of one of those dark times when optimism is in short supply. And as Steve Gross shared with those of us in attendance at the conference back at the end of January, our ability to see the good in ourselves and in life and to focus on that good, can foster optimism.

Although our ability to meet in-person has been largely suspended due to the pandemic, I know that I’m still feeling the power of the CSMFO community and its positive impact on my career and on my role in local government. Each day that I have some level of contact with our members, whether it be through the listserv, direct emails or phone calls, webinars and other interactions, I’m reminded that we are a dedicated community of public servants working for the benefit of our constituents. By extension, this also applies as well to our commercials partners. For we could not do our jobs with efficiency and effectiveness without the support of our professional vendor community who are equally dedicated to public service.

For me, while acknowledging the sobering realities and devastating impacts of this pandemic, these powerful daily testimonials of outstanding public service provide focus on the good happening in our communities, for which I am resolutely optimistic about the future.