I always underestimate the Women’s Bouldering Festival’s fallout.
Our annual event is organised through a non-profit organisation which I first registered in 2018. Without any prior knowledge of running an NPO, let alone running one in France, I drafted a twelve-page status, recruited trustees among friends, and set into motion something of a wave. Soon after, I was nearly swept off my feet.
People afflicted with perfectionism rarely get to finish their projects. There’s always something to change or improve, and the finish line keeps moving further into the distance, eventually disappearing into the horizon. You do feel rather disgusted with yourself, but you get over it, soon to start another project never to be finished.
Hitting the “release tickets” button on the first-ever Women’s Bouldering Festival’s Eventbrite page, I was denied that little mercy. The website was a mess, the budget spreadsheet full of question marks, the schedule and staffing two looming unknowns.
I was alone in our little rented studio on the edge of the forest, and I was terrified. My trustees already did a lot, putting their good names and legal responsibility on the line by signing the association’s papers. Getting practical support was not part of our deal – the event was my idea and my responsibility.
The early summer heat was already making me a little lightheaded but I didn’t anticipate feeling like I was about to pass out when the “Your Tickets Are Live” notification appeared on the screen. I guess this was the first indication of just how much running the Women’s Bouldering Festival would affect me.
There’s this type of sturdy people, well-equipped by nature to remain steady whatever their circumstances. A person like that makes a great NPO founder and event director; gets the job done without letting it take over their life. They’re also likely... continue reading now →
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