Thought for the day

Thought for the day….It is easy to get stressed, to get overwhelmed by all of the craziness that is going around us. It makes sense that we get tired, that we lose focus. We deal with the trauma of another person on a daily basis and then find ourselves in secondary trauma…actually experiencing the pain being passed on from those we are caring for. My goodness, this is hard! If you add our trauma, what happened to us when we were little, maybe throw in the trauma of a bad divorce or an abusive relationship, and it makes sense that we get triggered. It makes sense that we have moments that are not ‘our best”. We might shout when we didn’t mean to. We might cry at the grocery store or just lose the words to say. We might have a moment of pure exhaustion so strong that we wonder if we can keep going. We wonder if this is worth it or if really this is hurting us more than it is helping anyone else. I am not going to give you a magic potion to take away those moments. I am not going to lie and say there is a quick fix. I am not going to tell you that I have never experienced those moments (because I have). I am going to tell you that there really is hope, it does not have to stay feeling that way. We are human, out brains and bodies can only take so much before it starts to shut down. When our bodies get too overwhelmed we get sick and go to the Doctor for medicine, maybe even visit a hospital for restorative care. When our brains and emotions start to shut down what do we do? Just like antibiotics take time to work, self care takes time too…and effort. Our body and our brains need us to do things to make ourselves stronger, to heal us so that we can feel like ourselves again. This thing we do is hard, and our emotions get a beating sometimes. Think of your emotions as you would any other part of you…get an icepack and rest. Get with a friend who understands and talk, get it out. Give yourself the empathy and understanding you need (forgive yourself for being human). Take some time to rest, have a cup of tea or go shopping. Maybe just sit in the quiet doing nothing. Above all allow yourself time to feel like yourself again. Allow yourself time to heal. It can and will happen. This day that feels so wrong and this day that leaves you feeling so strung out won’t stay that way. Above all else know that you aren’t alone and there are many of us who really do understand.