Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Hardegree.
Lindsey, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in a small town in South Georgia, and one of the things you learn in a small town is that community is everything. I feel that my role in our community is to help people live authentic, meaningful lives. I’ve worked in the nonprofit sector for more than a decade; after earning my first graduate degree (MFA, Performing Arts Management), I held positions at both the Alliance Theatre and the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, served as Founding Board Chair for Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta, and got involved with several nonprofits and leadership programs as a volunteer. Through these opportunities, I was able to learn more deeply about the specific needs of our community.
My identity is strongly grounded in my faith, and I wanted to learn how, as a community, we might be able to impact change through faith. I enrolled at two different seminaries and earned my Master of Theological Studies & MDiv Equivalent as well as a Certificate in Theology and the Arts. Using my nonprofit experience and my theological education, I want to serve those in need while guiding people to lead more spiritually meaningful lives.
Has it been a smooth road?
One of my biggest challenges, especially early in my career, was listening to everyone else instead of being my authentic self. Young professionals, especially women, are under a lot of pressure to move up the career ladder, to be a great networker, to be listed in the local “who’s who” lists, and on and on. I had to learn how to take a step back and ask myself why I was working so hard to impress other people. There was a specific time in my career where I doubted myself because everyone around me kept telling me how lucky I was to be at “the dream job” (even though I was miserable).
When I finally started to give my own opinion as much weight as everyone else’s, my life changed dramatically. I would absolutely not be where I am now if I hadn’t been open to taking a risk and trusting that I knew what was best for myself, no matter what others thought. The advice I would give is to not be afraid to be your authentic self. When you give yourself permission to be authentic, you’ll find that you don’t have to impress others – you can be the same person at work, at home, and in the community, because you’re simply being yourself!
We’d love to hear more about your organization.
Since 2016 I have served as the Executive Director for the Episcopal Community Foundation for Middle and North Georgia. We partner with Episcopal communities to lift up people facing poverty and oppression, creating sustainable impact for individuals, families, and communities. Our grants are specifically targeted at local partnerships between our churches and organizations working in the areas of hunger, homelessness, generational poverty, refugee services, human trafficking, and those whose lives have been impacted by the criminal justice system. My work has given me a fresh perspective on how the faith community works to address the less fortunate through its ministry and outreach. There is much about “the system” that is broken, and I believe that there is great power in the intersection of the Church and the nonprofit sector to find ways to help those who need it the most.
In addition to my community-focused work, I also want to connect with individuals, one-on-one, who are struggling to authentically live into their own vision for their lives. In 2019, I began working as a professional organizer and productivity specialist through my company, Get Organized Y’all. I am trained and certified by Marie Kondo as Georgia’s first Certified KonMari Consultant. Organization and productivity are things I have loved since I was a child, and it brings me great joy to help others make sense of their cluttered homes, offices, and calendars. While it may seem odd to work as both a nonprofit executive and a professional organizer, I find that each of these opportunities provides me with a meaningful way to serve in our community!
It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
KonMari Method™: I have fully utilized the KonMari Method™ [https://getorganizedyall.com/konmari/] in both my home and in my life, which has created an environment where I am able to live and work unencumbered. By surrounding myself with things, people, and hobbies that bring me joy, my entire life has been decluttered!
Connect Over Something Fun: It’s tempting to fill our calendars and our minds with work, which can make it a struggle to prioritize enjoyment! I’m a huge Star Wars fan, so attending Dragon Con [http://dragoncon.org/] is something I really look forward to every year. I am also one of the co-founders of Bourbon Women Atlanta [https://bourbonwomen.org/bourbon-women-atlanta/], a social organization that connects women who love or are curious about bourbon! I recommend everyone find a way to connect with others over something fun that has nothing to do with work.
Digital:
Google Calendar: I keep separate calendars for my full-time position, my side work, and my personal commitments, and I also have calendars for time-blocking. I set up each as a separate calendar with Google Calendar [https://www.google.com/calendar], so I can sync appointments to my Apple Watch, keep my work and personal commitments separate, but still have the ability to see everything on one screen with my phone or computer.
Teamwork Projects: I utilize Teamwork Projects [https://www.teamwork.com/partner/srscppeeq5] for task management. The ability to template task lists is key for me to not drop the ball since I am a team of one at both my jobs!
Analog:
Full Focus Planner: For my daily to-do lists, my Full Focus Planner [https://www.talkable.com/x/Yx5aWS] helps me to maintain my routines and work on my goals (both personally and professionally) every day.
Bullet Journal (BuJo): I’ve kept a BuJo [https://bulletjournal.com/] since 2016. It has become a crucial tool for following my Rule of Life, monitoring my health and habits, tracking weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual life admin, and making sure that I prioritize the things that bring me joy.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://ECFimpact.org and http://getorganizedyall.com
- Phone: ECF: 404.601.5362
- Email: lhardegree@episcopalatlanta.org and lindsey@getorganizedyall.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/ECFimpacts and http://instagram.com/getorganizedyall
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/ECFimpact and http://facebook.com/getorganizedyall
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/ECFimpact and http://twitter.com/organizedyall
- Other: http://linkedin.com/in/lindseyhardegree
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