We've talked about what happens when we
don't strive to be authentic
or to have balance in our lives.
There was a whole day dedicated to it,
Today we're talking about it again
and I want to share it in full
because I fear many of us are in great danger of it.
"My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night."
Start Quote
Setting the world on fire comes with risks.
Unfortunately we usually don't realize this
until smoke gets in our eyes.
Burnout is a condition caused by unbalance:
too much work or responsibility,
too little time to do it,
over too long a period.
We've been cruising in the fast lane
but we've been running on fumes rather than on fuel.
Often we think that burnout is something
that just happens to other women
- workaholics and perfectionists.
But careaholics are also at risk
- women who care deeply about their
children, work, relationships, parents,
siblings, friends, communities, issues.
This sounds like every woman I know.
Perhaps we would pay more attention to burnout
if it were are dramatic as a heart attack.
But a smoldering flame can be just as deadly as a flash fire.
Sometime burnout manifests itself as a sense of
complete exhaustion at the end of a project
that has taken months of challenging and intense work.
Taking a week off to rest, then resuming work
at a slower pace is usually enough to
bring about a speedy recovery.
But first-degree burnout
- the soul snuffer -
comes from living unbalanced for years;
when what was supposed to be a temporary situation
becomes a lifestyle.
Burnout often begins with illness
- anything from a bout of flu you can't shake
to chronic fatigue syndrome -
and is usually accompanied by depression.
Sometimes burnout is hard to distinguish
from a creative dry spell,
especially if you're good at denial,
which most women are.
It's burnout when you go to bed exhausted every night
and wake up tired every morning
- when no amount of sleep refreshes you,
month after weary month.
It's burnout when everything becomes too much effort:
combing your hair, going out to dinner,
visiting friends for the weekend,
even going on vacation.
It's burnout when you can't believe,
under any circumstances,
that you'll ever want to make love again.
It's burnout when you find yourself cranky all the time,
bursting into tears or going into
fits of rage at the slightest provocation.
It's burnout when you dread the next phone call.
It's burnout when you feel trapped and hopeless,
unable to dream, experience pleasure,
or find contentment.
It's burnout when neither big thrills nor little moments
have the power to move you -
when nothing satisfies you because
you haven't a clue what's wrong or how to fix it.
Because everything's wrong.
Because something is terribly out of whack:
YOU.
It's burnout when you feel there is not one other person
on the face of the earth who can help you.
And you're right.
When you're suffering from burnout,
YOU are the only person on earth who can help
because you're the only one who can
make the lifestyle changes that need to be made:
to call a halt, to take a slower path, to make a detour.
When you have no strength left,
you have no choice but to rely on the strength of a
saner Power to restore you to Wholeness.
End Quote
Robbie was really great today, saving me from burnout.
I worked out way too hard on Thursday,
and the funny thing is I only did half the workout,
so much so that I still hurt today!
My body was tired, I was tired spiritually,
and I suddenly didn't feel well.
I slept for three hours, missing the last hour of morning conference.
Like slept, like I was out,
and I still didn't feel well when I woke up.
So after an hour or so Robbie looked at me and told me
"if you're not feeling well, we can go home early."
We put the kids to bed, I'm finishing up my blog,
and I'm going to take it easy and go take a bath.
It's okay that you can't do
everything for everyone.
Take a deep breath,
if you're burnt out take a good look at your life
and figure out how to fix it.
If you're close to being burned,
take a deep breath and take a break.
Even though it is you that must do this,
and you alone,
you are not alone.
Christ knows exactly what you're going through
because he did not just suffer for our sins
he also suffered for our pains and afflictions.
He knows you, and he can help you,
if you come unto him.
***
Gratitude Journal
***
1) Conference. I learned so much this weekend.
2) My family. Robbie and my mom, instead of giving me grief about not staying for family dinner, just tried to take care of me. I really appreciate them.
3) I'm going to go take a bath...and read a book. Boy do I need it.
5) It's October! I had Halloween decorations out a week ago ;)
This is the weekend that we realized
how sick Shelby was last year.
We didn't know she was dying until
a few days before we let her go,
but in hindsight she was already dying.
Her brain stem was already being crushed
by the fluid pressure.
That was the last time I got to see her lucid
and actually talk to her.
She was scared, she was in pain,
and she didn't want to be a burden.
These next couple months are going to be hard on me,
so if I'm a little short, or forgetful,
please forgive me.
It feels like I'm reliving it all over again.
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