Untitled attachment

Notices where this attachment appears

1. Embed this notice
   Our Wonderful Green Future (owgf.org@owgf.org)'s status on Tuesday, 25-Aug-2026 19:23:07 JST Our Wonderful Green Future
   The Reason Many People Don’t Volunteer (It’s Not Time)

   Last week I was sat in a room filled with a load of really passionate people who had come together to discuss creating a Community Newspaper. The ideas were flowing. The questions were flying about and the enthusiasm was there. But when it came to the crunch; “Hands up who wants to be part of the initial steering committee?” all that momentum came crashing to a halt. The hands did not come up.

   It’s easy to think “Nobody has the time” and that’s the problem, but there is a bigger issue that holds people back. People don’t like to let other people down. Not wanting to let people down is perhaps a bigger barrier to getting people to volunteer than time.

   This morning I got a very similar response talking to a gentleman about a regeneration project in my local park. He was initially reluctant to sign up because he just didn’t know if he could commit the time needed to the project. When I explained that he wasn’t obligated to come to every event and he could pick the ones that suited him, he was happy to sign up.

   This is not a new observation to anyone working in this field. It’s called “commitment anxiety” or “anticipatory guilt.”: the fear that saying yes means taking responsibility for others’ expectations. When people worry about letting down their neighbours, friends, or community members who are counting on them, the social cost of failing outweighs the benefit of contributing.
   
   

   Image via The Tampa Bay Estuary Program on Unsplash

   On top of this there are a few other dimensions to this problem.

   Social Risk vs. Practical Constraint: The “no time” explanation is socially safer. It’s concrete and feels less personal. Admitting fear of disappointing others would mean admitting vulnerability. So “time” becomes the convenient public reason while the real barrier sits beneath the surface.

   Diffused Responsibility Paradox: Ironically, the stronger the group enthusiasm, the harder it can be for individuals to commit. When everyone seems passionate and capable, each person may think “someone else will take this lead.” The momentum of collective excitement can actually suppress individual action because nobody wants to stand out or fail publicly. This feels very much like what I experienced in the Community Newspaper meeting.

   Perfectionism in Community Projects: Community initiatives carry emotional weight beyond transactional tasks. People worry they’ll damage relationships if the project struggles, not just that a deadline might be missed. That stakes-raising makes the ask more daunting than a typical volunteer opportunity.

   So, is there anything we can learn from this? Are there any tips or tricks to get people to volunteer that sidestep these issues?

   Small, time-bound trial commitments: EG “It’s just for 6 weeks, then we reassess” This lowers the perceived risk and gives people a really clear escape route, after 6 weeks. And then they can say “I don’t have time…” Instead of “join the steering committee,” try “come to one planning session next Thursday.” Each micro-commitment builds identity alignment and people start seeing themselves as someone who shows up. Once that self-image forms, larger commitments feel like a natural extension rather than a leap.

   Making roles modular rather than monolithic: Let’s people contribute pieces without owning outcomes. Let’s people decide what they do, and when, so they feel like they are in control. Instead of giving people a task, ask them “What do you want to do?” and invite them to commit on their own terms. Also in an established organisation you can create a Shadowing Option so people can understand the scope before committing, offering a “shadow” role first.

   Explicitly naming the fear: “I know saying yes feels daunting right now but…” This can reduce its power. Make it clear that quitting in 12 weeks is better than contributing nothing at all. Normalise exit on-ramps. Make leaving frictionless and guilt-free from the outset. Something like: “Anyone who joins the steering committee can step back at any point, no explanation needed.” When people know the door swings open both ways, commitment feels less like a trap. The irony is that making it easy to leave often makes people stay longer.
   
   So that’s it. I wish I had all that in my head last week! For my Regen project simply getting people onto a mailing list is the big thing. Allowing people to passively sit in the background as potential volunteers until the day comes when they are in a position to volunteer pays off.
   
   

   #Charity #Environment #OurWonderfulGreenFuture #Regeneration #sustainability #Volunteering
2. Embed this notice
   Rich Felker (dalias@hachyderm.io)'s status on Sunday, 28-Jun-2026 22:03:28 JST Rich Felker

   @sindarina I'm not going to claim it's "AI", but I do think it's probably not what I would call as [single] "photograph" - that is to say, a capture of the entire image from a single exposure over the same interval of time. The dynamic ranges of the different elements don't add up.

   It's likely a HDR-style composition from what I would call "multiple photos" and in general (not particularly in the setting here) this kind of technique tells counterfactual stories as if they were fact.

3. Embed this notice
   Evan Prodromou 🇨🇦🇺🇸🇬🇷🇵🇸 (evan@cosocial.ca)'s status on Wednesday, 06-May-2026 03:56:03 JST Evan Prodromou 🇨🇦🇺🇸🇬🇷🇵🇸

   in reply to

   @mpjgregoire

   So, could the project get along without *new* editors? Probably for a while. But editors move on and stop editing -- there's a pretty high churn on Wikipedia. It would be harder and harder for the editors to keep up.

   It's also a loose-knit group with a lot of conflict that is resolved on-wiki. As people leave, it's harder to do that resolution.

   Gradually, the content would suffer -- which would mean even fewer new editors.

4. Embed this notice
   Miakoda (hellomiakoda@pdx.social)'s status on Monday, 23-Mar-2026 08:33:34 JST Miakoda

   in reply to

   Touchpad and volume keys continue to work when the keyboard is unresponsive. I don't know if the hotkeys are getting through in that state as they normally don't do their associated functions while the lock screen is up.

   It just occured to me I haven't thought to try disabling the lock screen to see if this still happens, but I'm in an environment where I really shouldn't leave a computer unlocked.

5. Embed this notice
   timberwraith (timberwraith@mastodon.social)'s status on Thursday, 15-Jan-2026 03:14:14 JST timberwraith

   Since I'm on the topic of body sensations...

   I was chatting with a transfem friend on the phone a couple of days ago, and the topic of dissociation from one's body came up.

   It's not uncommon for trans people to be disconnected and distanced from their bodies because it's rather traumatic to waltz around existence wearing a body that just feels... well, quite *wrong*.

6. Embed this notice
   Futurist Jim Carroll (jimcarroll@mastodon.futurist.info)'s status on Wednesday, 07-Jan-2026 19:47:32 JST Futurist Jim Carroll

   "Sometimes, you can’t control your circumstances, but you can control your thoughts!" - Futurist Jim Carroll

   Ultimately, the way you approach your circumstances defines how the circumstances turn out!

   This is the last post on my situation, but I must say - something like this certainly gives you a chance to think!

   I’ve spent a lot of time this week looking at my "backward" stats about my fitness and activities —the 884,000 pounds lifted at the gym during the year, the 112 rounds of golf I carded in 2025, and the top-tier cardio recovery stats I've built up.

   It’s easy to look at that data and feel robbed by my current physical limits. But I’ve realized that the most important metric isn't on my Apple Watch. It’s the "Resilience Score" in my head. With all this unique downtime, I’ve learned that true strength isn’t just about what your body can do. It’s about what your mind can do once you begin shifting your thinking.

   I'm working so hard every day not to focus on what I can't do today - but what I can do tomorrow if I don't do those things today!

   And that's a subtle but significant mindspace shift!

   As a futurist, I usually obsess over the "next big thing." But this injury has forced me to realize that you can’t sprint into the future if your chassis is broken. I’ve shifted my control panel from "frustration" to "preparation," by shifting my mindset.

   I’m not sitting here waiting for my bones to heal; I am actively moving my mind into where it needs to be for longer terms success. I’m trading the dopamine of a ski run today for the guarantee of a tee time at St. Andrews in April!

   The circumstance is a pause; the mindset is a pivot.

   So while i can't control the circumstances I find myself in, I can certainly control the thinking around what I can do with them!

   I think there is some powerful guidance in that line of thought that we can apply to just about any type of circumstance!

   Onwards!

   ----
   **#Resilience** **#Mindset** **#Perspective** **#MentalStrength** **#Positivity** **#Control** **#Patience** **#Recovery** **#Focus** **#Preparation** **#Growth** **#Attitude** **#InnerStrength** **#Pivot** **#Wisdom** **#SelfTalk** **#Healing** **#Determination** **#Optimism** **#MindOverMatter** **#Adaptability** **#Strength** **#Purpose** **#Perseverance** **#Forward**

   Futurist Jim Carroll is learning a lot about circumstances through the current circumstances!

   Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2026/01/daily-inspiration-sometimes-you-cant-control-your-circumstances-but-you-can-control-your-thoughts/