Hi, everybody. I’m Mike Staver. This is Mondays with Mike, a weekly video series where I answer questions from people just like you. Here’s this week’s question.
“I’m in the helping business I help others every day. I’m burned out, and I really cannot talk to anyone about the sadness and discouragement I feel because I’m the one that has to take care of everyone else.”
That’s a good question, huh? Yeah, for sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s tough. Well, I’m sorry you’re sad, and I’m sorry you’re discouraged. 33% of Americans reported. You know this, Marty. 33% of Americans reported last year that they felt some incidents of anxiety, depression or overwhelm. I mean, I get it. It’s crazy. It’s been a crazy couple of years really.
And so a lot of people are feeling what you’re feeling, not just because you’re helping, although good for you that you’re helping. So what do I suggest I feel because I’m the one that has to take care of everyone else that. Yeah. Here’s the deal. So there are two parts. One part is your desire to help, and the other part is your own personal needs and what you need to feel fulfilled and alive in the world where you live.
One of the challenges that we often have is that we often tend to be one way or the other. You probably have people that are only in it for themselves, and then you have people sounds like you that are only in it for others. And balancing that paradox matters a lot. So start small, ask yourself, what do I need this week?
Do I need to put more distance between me and the people I’m helping? Do I need to get some exercise? Do I need to disengage from my phone for a while and not be so involved in that? What is it exactly that you need to do? But you don’t know that until you identify what your needs are, and that might take a little work because my experience with helpers is that they tend to not be very aware of what they need, and we need to make sure we’re constantly thinking about that.
It doesn’t mean you’re selfish you can still help all the people you want. You just have to get out there and take care of you as well. And if you do that, you’re going to be a whole lot more successful.
Hope that’s helpful. Take care.
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