OVERCOMING COMPASSION FATIGUE

PODCAST #183

In this week’s episode of Confidence on the Go we’re chatting about:

• What compassion fatigue is and how is manifests itself in our lives (makes us turn on the emergency numbing / easy buttons, etc.) in a larger sense and smaller sense
• Three simple ways to prioritize your own self-care to minimize onslaughts on compassion fatigue
• A handful of simple, quick, go-to remedies to drive your self-care that you can put into action right away, today, no matter what your day looks like

Just a quick hello to all of my Keep the Faith listeners out there – thanks for being part of the community of contagious encouragement.

SPONSORSHIP NOTE:

I am proud to be an educator and consultant for Beautycounter, a B-Corp company on a mission to get safer products into the hands of everyone.   The lack of regulation in the personal care and cosmetic industry is astounding and it is harming our health in very serious ways. We need more voices to join up on our mission. If you want to put your passion to purpose while being generously compensated, then I would love to start a conversation with you about what it means to be involved in the #saferbeauty tribe that is Beautycounter. Join the movement of #betterbeauty and message me via email to make your voice really resonate for a cause.

WHAT IS COMPASSION FATIGUE:

Compassion Fatigue is a state experienced by those helping people or animals in distress; it is an extreme state of tension and preoccupation with the suffering of those being helped to the degree that it can create a secondary traumatic stress for the helper. –Dr. Charles Figley

The Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project: www.compassionfatiuge.com

THREE WAYS TO PRIORITIZE SELF-CARE

Cut back.

Cut down.

Cut it out.

Cut back – on overcommitting (reduce how often you say “yes”), on social media or news overload (slow down, disconnect from the buzz of the world), reduce your sugar and processed foods intake (all action things / decisions that require action)

Cut down –reduce your expectation of performance (get away from perfectionist mentality…learn to know when good enough is good enough), on idealized daily to-do list for your life, on mental laziness (negativity, etc.) (thoughts, decisions that take space in your mind)

Cut it out – stop thinking you are the only person who can help others, stop putting your sleep at the bottom of your priority list, stop putting yourself and your self-care last.

“You always need to take care of yourself, put the proverbial oxygen mask over yourself first before putting it on your children, and in the believer’s life, fill yourself with God’s love and identify and grace and then allow that to spill out over others. Self care and boundaries and truth based thinking are key to avoiding compassion fatigue. “ – Marie Anderson

GO-TO SELF-CARE INSTANT REMEDIES

>Get outside

>Get around people you love and who’s energy lifts you up

>Get in God’s presence

>Get rid of the negative, self-critical thoughts about your performance

>Get real with yourself – know how to say “no” when you have reached your limit.

LISTENER OF THE EPISODE:

Hi Trish!
My name is Molly and I am a fairly new listener to your amazing podcasts. I am a psychotherapist and a personal wellness coach, so I spend a LOT of my time helping others. I am currently starting my journey to improving myself (because you can’t serve others on an empty vessel, right?!) so that I can best serve others. The topic that I am currently struggling with and would love for you to do a podcast on is compassion fatigue. At times I feel myself just EXHAUSTED after a day of therapy that I can’t even empathize with another human (let alone myself or my husband!). I would love for you to touch on this topic, including what it is and how to overcome it.

Thank you so much and keep up the great work!
Molly

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

www.trishblackwell.com/freebook

I started this confidence coaching journey because originally I wanted to help people find freedom from body image issues – I wanted to share strategies on how to learn how to have body confidence; now, this has obviously morphed into more than that, but I have a heart for my core … body confidence.

For a limited time, until I reach 2000 copies given away of my book, I’ve pulled it from sales and am offering it to you, my tribe, because I love you and because I know that this book can change the way you feel about yourself and your body!

Get your copy at www.trishblackwell.com/freebook