As helpers, we’re used to giving. We care, support, teach, encourage, problem-solve, and show up for people—often without stopping to consider how much energy we actually have available to give.
But being good at what you do doesn’t require giving everything you have.
In Episode 12 of Helping From the Inside Out, Rosa Jones, LPC, explores the difference between bringing your best energy and giving all of your energy. While there will always be seasons that require us to dig deep, operating at 100% every day isn’t sustainable. Over time, constantly overextending yourself can contribute to burnout, compassion fatigue, resentment, and overwhelm.
Rosa also discusses how our performance-based culture can make it easy to connect our value to how hard we work, how much we accomplish, or how much we're willing to sacrifice for others. But sustainable helping requires a different approach.
Instead of treating your energy like something you have to give away, learn to treat it like an investment. Be intentional about where you spend it, protect it, refill it, and make sure there is still something left for your family, your relationships—and yourself—when the workday is over.
In this episode, you’ll be encouraged to ask yourself one important question:
“Am I giving from what I have—or from what I wish I had?”
Because showing up consistently with your best energy will have a greater impact than constantly trying to give everything you’ve got.
If you’re a counselor, therapist, healthcare professional, educator, social worker, ministry leader, or anyone who spends your days helping others, this episode is your reminder: You can care deeply about the work you do without losing yourself in the process.
Read the full Episode 12 transcript: http://myfreedomss.com/podcast12