Self-care can sometimes feel self-indulgent. Responsibilities can overwhelm. We can lose sight of the fact that we need time to restock, restore and recharge. So much to do and so little time.
All too often we can push ourselves to the point of emotional exhaustion. So focused are we on the wants and needs of others that we neglect ourselves.
Burn out is real. It’s at that point that we have nothing left to give and if we have nothing left to give then we have nothing in reserve for ourselves.
It’s altogether possible to recover from burn out…to restore and rebuild. But the road back to emotional wellbeing can be a rough one. Far better to take evasive and preventative action in the first place.
What that means is being self-aware. We need to recognise and accept our limits and know when we are approaching those limits. We need to acknowledge that we are individuals and there is no universal answer to what is a universal problem.
If our emotional tank is drained then the very next crisis can push us over the edge from a grey area into a much darker place.
It’s at that point that we can no longer help others but we have nothing left with which to help ourselves.
Everyone needs some help…some assistance, some love, some support. And everyone has the capacity to meet all or some of those needs.
But that capacity is severely restricted if we ignore the primary need to assist, love and support ourselves.
We are responsible for our own wellbeing. Those around us may contribute but the ultimate responsibility sits with the individual.
It’s something that should be taken seriously.
Gary Bentley Counselling 