The short version: Giving back is how I connect back to what makes me human. When you give your time, talents and treasure to a cause you love, you come back more connected to your heart center. That is the kind of leader people want to follow, and no technology can do it for you.

Last Thursday night I stood at the front of a room at Venue 5 Twenty-Two with a microphone in my hand and my heart wide open. I got to co-host the evening with Katie Koepke, the president of the We Can Do This board. More than 200 people came together for We Can Do This, a nonprofit that feeds kids facing hunger here in Lincoln.

Our goal was $50,000. We raised over $100,000.

I still get emotional typing that.

How do you decide where your time goes?

This year I got really intentional about how I spend my time. I kept asking myself one question. Where can I actually make a difference?

We Can Do This kept showing up as the answer. This organization matters so much to me. I knew I could help build its voice and its brand. I also knew that work could change things for kids in our community. So I gave it my time, my talents and my treasure.

The first year they fundraised, they raised $3,000. Last year it was $17,000. This year it was over $100,000. That is what happens when a room full of people decides to care about something bigger than themselves.

What happens when everyone finds their lane?

As chair of the event committee, I got to bring together an amazing group of women. Each one found her zone of genius and ran with it. Nobody tried to do everything. Everyone gave from her own gifts with a huge heart, and you could feel the impact in every corner of that room.

I talk with leaders about this all the time. When people stop masking and lead from who they really are, they find their lane. The work feels lighter and the results get bigger.

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Why does giving back matter even more in the age of AI?

I love that AI can help good causes run more efficiently. It helped me with a lot of behind-the-scenes work this fall. But it isn't designed to have feelings. It can't feel what happens when 200 people decide no kid in Lincoln should go hungry.

As AI takes more tasks off our plates, we get to choose what fills that space. We can fill it with more work, or we can fill it with the things that light us up and the people who need us most. Showing up authentically means showing up for your community too.

How can you start showing up for your community this week?

• Name one cause that tugs at your heart, and write it down.
• Find one hour on your calendar this month to give to it.
• Offer your zone of genius, not just a check.
• Invite a friend or coworker to join you, because showing up is contagious.
• Notice how you feel afterward. That feeling is your heart center talking.
• If you're in Lincoln, host a We Can Do This food drive at your business or place of worship. Email [email protected] and they'll bring the blue barrels to you.

To everyone who was in that room, gave a gift, volunteered or cheered us on, thank you. Together, We Can Do This.

xoxo,
Kara

P.S. Planning a team kickoff, leadership retreat or conference for 2027? I'd love to help your people switch on their light. Book me to speak here.