Some people with a mental health condition, addiction, or trauma are attracted to professions such as; social workers, nurses, law enforcement, teachers, doctors, and other helping professions. Spiritually we are meant to serve others humbly. This can be done by; giving a compliment or two; listening rather than speaking; just plain being nice to certain people; or making a move to reach out to a person we are not in good standing with.
On the other hand, we can become so absorbed in other people that we neglect our spiritual, mental, and emotional needs and desires. How do I know when I am doing this? I may say something like, “After all I have done for them they treat me this way”, or “Being around this person emotionally zaps my energy, or “I know this person called me 3 times already today I need to take this call”.
I can attest to being overly committed to other people. 2018 I was at a tipping point as a Director of Human Services. 30 years as a social worker took a toll on my spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental health. I was fortunate to be in a position financially to retire. Walking away was difficult and I realized the emptiness in my heart. The funny thing is the emptiness inside of me was there for a long time. As a social worker, I was actively helping other people in an effort to deny the pain I was in as a result of my own depression, anxiety, and trauma.
Today I listen to my heart for instruction and wisdom to direct my life. Sometimes I do something for a person in order to serve them. Other times when I notice an emptiness inside I return to priming the pump in order to fill my spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental health needs.
How do you set boundaries in life to balance serving others and taking care of yourself?
Peace
Larry
email: ljw@superhumanbeing.net
website: https://superhumanbeing.net/
