Learn To Replenish

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- Acknowledging the truth about burnout and its effects is the first step toward finding better solutions. It's true that at some point in our lives, we reach a moment of exhaustion. Fatigue doesn't only happen at work but also to the rest of us who are looking after the welfare of others. You may be attending to an elderly relative, raising a child, or helping a good friend. Once we share a part of ourselves to ease the burden of others, we enter into the realm of sacrifice, which is fulfilling but surprisingly challenging when left unchecked. The fine line between fulfillment and fatigue is a matter of discernment. By discussing this further, we may be able to determine what the tipping point is and manage it effectively.

If you study the word, compassion, it comes from the root word “compati” which means “to suffer with.” By owning the discomfort of others and finding ways to ease it, we immediately give away valued resources. With the advent of science and its study on adaptation, we have discovered that self-sacrifice is not congruent with our natural proclivity toward self-preservation. The natural instinct is to compete for resources and store them to attain a better chance of survival. We make sure we have enough food for ourselves, enough support, and opportunities to sustain our existence. It influences people's actions and everyday decisions.

To give or not to give. Compassion then is a transcendental experience where we give away our valuable resources. It could be our time, skills, or our energy. We begin to put others first while denying our needs in the process. We do not mind the discomfort so as long as we see others in better shape than how we found them. We begin to extend our efforts further and exhaust all means to make things better.

If you have gone through hiking in the forest, you see that trees look formidable. Their towering stature provides a home for the birds. They have fruits for food and leaves for shade. As mighty as they might stand in the middle of the forest, they still need water to survive. It is a source of nourishment and their life depends on it. When drought comes and water becomes scarce, trees dry up. They overextend their roots until they wither. That's the fate of those who experience burnout. They gave too much without the means to replenish. Ultimately, they become scarce inside. Being compassionate is easy but finding ways to recharge ourselves has proved to be difficult. The amount of energy we give off to others should be the same amount of energy we need to replenish ourselves with. We all exist in that delicate balance.

If you are in the service profession, you should have the ability to recharge yourself. If you are caring for someone, make sure you give time to yourself. You cannot give what you do not have and living a life of imbalance is a sure way to hurt yourself. In those moments of scarcity, you will begin to see changes in your ways. You will not be as patient as you used to be, not as inspired as you once were. It snowballs until you are left with no one to blame but yourself. You reach a point of fatigue until it dawns on you. Yes, take your “water” too. You need it.

Only in the state of self-sustaining abundance, we can truly serve others. If you plan to care for someone, don’t forget to take care of yourself. The ways of doing it may vary from person to person. So how do you replenish yourself? Maybe the question to ask is how well you know yourself. What fulfills you? What recharges you? What makes you alive and kicking? These are some questions to help you navigate your way back to abundance. The more self-aware you are, the better you can regain balance. Don’t ever hesitate to ask for help when you need it. There are no quick fixes so you have to go through the process.

Compassion is what makes us fully human. The fulfillment of serving others is the reward itself and there are no guarantees that you will receive anything in return. It is a tough balancing act. You can't expect others to understand your journey so take care of yourself knowing that you are a vessel of light, a source of hope for those in need, and a blessing to someone who is longing for support.