Many of us experience being needed in ways that evoke a strong desire to assist, which includes “distance giving” for empaths. This can leave us feeling overextended, overwhelmed or used. Some who are working in helping fields are tremendously taxed with more work than can be managed, by the human self. The impact is physical, mental and spiritual exhaustion.
Complex experiences of compassion fatigue are common, especially for those of us in the vast and wide season of Midlife, where we may have poured out our energies serving roles and responsibilities, but find we are needing and seeking more space for our spirit and soul.
This breakdown can happen to any of us, when one is over-giving or overwrought. Oftentimes a desire that is established for right reasons, leads to ignoring the deeper needs of the self. This takes a toll. In addition to exhaustion, lack of self-compassion leads to feeling alone, burdened and neglected.
When we begin to identify, understand and develop a relationship with the underlying reasons for our pain and the patterns or life experiences, self-compassion can awaken and begin to rise. The feelings and behaviors that may cause distressing reaction and response habits can be deeply impacted and adjusted as we become aware. Calling in community and fostering connection also will shift awareness and open space to move into aligned relationships with self and other. Exploring compassion and utilizing creative depth approaches, can can help shift stories, align expectations and establish boundaries. This is all self-compassion in action.
We move into compassion for ourselves when we communicate with and unravel the fears and false beliefs that we have absorbed from our past and current experiences. This is powerful source of personal creative material when working with psycho-spiritual art forms. Within creative process you will often seek clues and express lived experience, uncovering areas that need tending. Then continue to explore the power of creative expression as a form of tending, loving, nurturing and connecting.