Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind

                                                                          ~Dodinsky

     Do you feel guilty that you don’t give enough to your partner, children, parents, friends, clients, students or patients? Do you find yourself always putting other people’s needs ahead of your own? Do you take pride in helping others because it makes you feel valued and worthy? Are you beating yourself up because no matter how much you give, it never seems like enough? Are you exhausted with being exhausted?

     Many women experience caregiver or compassion fatigue at some point in their lives. Society has told us that we can have it all-career, marriage, family, and a social life while also being told we need to be thinner, healthier, more fit and younger looking. We aren’t told how to balance caring for ourselves while caring for others. We are taught that self-care is synonymous with selfishness, therefore, we put our health and wellness last.

     If you have feelings of exhaustion, overwhelm, frustration and resentment due to everyone needing your time and energy, you may be experiencing caregiver fatigue or compassion fatigue. I’ve experienced this myself in my career and within my family. It wasn’t until I learned what my non-negotiables were that I was able to start refilling my giving tank. The only way to refill that tank is to start making YOU a priority and I can show you how. It’s time to start showing up for yourself by developing your non-negotiable self-care strategies. I’m not just talking about bubble baths and manicures I’m talking about the simple habits that you will build into your daily or weekly routines. Self-care is the deliberate practice of knowing your needs and desires, taking responsibility for them, and then living your life in a way that honours them. If you aren’t sure how to start, I can show you the way back to YOU.

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