Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions For Animal Workers

In this week's episode I share inspiration from my podcast listeners and my weekly email recipients. We all chose a Word Of The Year in late December to anchor us and set our intention for what we wanted for ourselves in 2020. This week I asked us to revisit that word and see how it's showing up as a source of inspiration and as an anchor in these turbulent times. These are people just like you. They love and work with animals just like you. They wrestle with compassion fatigue just like you. And like you, they have something to share. Check it out!

Not everyone is struggling right now. That's not to say that if you are there is something wrong with you. Hardly. But is it possible to THRIVE right now? Maybe. One thing is for sure and that is no matter what your circumstance, self-compassion is available to you. This is the time to support yourself and disengage from the self-critical and punitive mind that we humans have.

I was inspired by Jimmy Fallon who due to being quarantined at home interviewed his wife and his dog. I thought it would be fun to pull back the curtain a little and let you meet my husband John. We talk about how he is coping during the pandemic, what he misses most, what grade he gives POTUS, how compassion fatigue effects educators, which of out pet's is his favorite and he'll even let you in on a little dirt about yours truly!

Could anything good come out of a pandemic? Could we be better on "the other side" of it? These are interesting questions to ask at a time when if feels like all COVID-19 is bringing is sickness, death and darkness. But it's also bringing us the best of humanity. People rising up in so many ways all over the world to be a bright light in an otherwise dark time. Listen to this episode and you just might feel a little lighter!

I know. It can feel like we are on an emotional rollercoaster with all that is happening. One minute we feel like we have it under control and the next we find ourselves feeling panic, worry or anger at others who aren't heeding the guidelines to keep us all safe from COVID-19. It's all normal, I assure you. In this episode I will offer you some guidance around: -how to deal with others that aren't doing what you want -how to come out the other side of this pandemic a better version of yourself -what to do as it relates to your self-care during this critical time -how to balance the worst and best-case scenarios in your mind

COVID-19 may've interrupted life as we know it but it doesn't have the power to make us feel angry, anxious, stressed, uncertain or afraid. We ultimately are always in charge of how we feel. Be mindful of what you are thinking now more than ever and refrain from "borrowing" thoughts that lead to panic and anxiety. Now is the time to focus on what you WANT to think and how you WANT to feel in the face of this pandemic. In this episode you'll learn: -About my own journey of emotions around this -Some helpful tips in navigating these uncertain times -Why finding your "anchor" is important -The online course Compassion Fatigue Rx is open for registration and I've added 6 live weekly webinars to help support you during this time (www.rekindlesolutions.com/enroll)

What if what you need to heal yourself from compassion fatigue and burnout is right outside your door? The more disconnected we are from nature, the more we suffer as a species. When is the last time you felt connected to the natural world? Hugged a tree? Went barefoot in the grass or in the sand? Chances are it's been too long.    Compassion fatigue,  while it's a normal consequence of the work you do with animals, can be offset greatly by learning how to embody resiliency.    Join me as I interview former LVT and fellow Martha Beck Wayfinder coach Angie Stegall (www.angiestegall.com) where we talk about how nature can be our greatest gift and asset to help combat not only compassion fatigue and burnout but so many other issues we face in our lives today.    In this episode you'll learn: -Why we need nature now more than ever -What resiliency really is  -How connecting with nature is what your soul is longing for -What grounding is and it's benefits -How nature can enhance your mental health and overall well

"Comparison is the thief of joy". Right on Theodore Roosevelt! According to social media it looks like every friend and person you follow is having an amazing life, except you. You may compare yourself to other veterinarians, techs, managers or directors and feel you come up short. We buy into stories about ourselves that are decades old and simply not true. It's time to change all of that. It's time to end the game of compare and despair. Check out this episode if you want to stop comparing for good. You'll learn: -why comparing yourself to others sets you up for failure -the inequities of comparing ourselves to others -how comparisonitis is related to worthiness -how to move away from comparison and back to joy -how to stop focusing on what you DON'T have and instead to what you DO have -what it means to "turn people into trees"

Sometimes people are going to be wrong. Veterinary clients, people on social media, someone visiting your shelter or even someone in your personal life. They may just be wrong about you or about the situation. We tend to think we need to prove to them that they are wrong so we can be right. Well guess what? There is no prize ribbon from the Universe for being right. Instead we can just let people be wrong about us and know deep in our bones who we are and what we stand for. Check out this episode if you've ever caught yourself needing to be "right"!

Your work with animals often finds you face-to-face with others who are grieving the loss of their pet. Your responsibility isn't to shoulder their grief yourself, it isn't yours to take. But there are things you can do to help anyone who is feeling the loss of their pet or other loved one.

It's said that many veterinary professionals and other animal workers are introverts. Being an introvert or extrovert only means where you get your energy from, internally (introverts) or externally (extroverts). So many of us use our personality type against ourselves. It's just who you are. Our workplaces are filled with both introverts and extroverts and we need to understand ourselves and each other and see how this relates to compassion fatigue.

I've learned a tremendous amount by becoming a Life Coach and by being coached. It's changed my life and the lives of so many others. We weren't meant to figure out our lives on our own. We are meant to seek and accept help. Join me as I share with you my Top 10 Lessons From Life Coaching!

Whether you're a veterinarian with looming student debt, a veterinary technician with credit card debt or another kind of animal worker that is struggling with clarity around their finances. The fact remains that managing our money is rarely talked about and yet it contributes greatly to our wellbeing. I think you will find a lot of value in this episode!

When we are feeling compassion fatigue we often think we've run out of compassion and empathy. But that's never actually the case. Neither are finite resources. What has happened is that we've become overwhelmed with unprocessed emotions and therefore we feel numb. So we have to learn that we are abundant in things. Not only the tangible like money but also the intangible like time, love, patience, compassion and empathy. We have to learn how to feel our feelings and then start practicing living in abundance. It feels amazing!

What if you're wrong about yourself? What if you are ENOUGH? And what if you already have everything you need to fulfill your destiny? You just don't know it. This episode will offer you new ways to think about yourself and what you are here in the world to do. Check it out!

Leaders in veterinary practices and other animal organizations shoulder a lot of responsibility. Not only from the business side but also the people side. Do they get compassion fatigue too? What is leadership fatigue and how does it differ from compassion fatigue? Join me for this spirited conversation with CVPM and veterinary practice consultant Marshall Liger!

What's your vision for 2020? Do you know what you want to accomplish in this new year? We have to know where we are going otherwise we'll never get there. Join me as I walk you through a process to get clear on where you are headed in 2020 and beyond! Worksheet can be found at www.rekindlesolutions.com/45

Before we go into this next decade, let's take a look back at 2019. What were your highlights? What challenges did you face? What are you proud of? We seldom take the time to take stock in where we've been and appreciate it for what it was. Let's do that together! The worksheet for this episode can be accessed at www.rekindlesolutions.com/44.

Your thoughts ultimately create everything in your life. What you are thinking you can see from the results you are getting. If you want different results, you have to think different thoughts. You have to think intentionally. Listen as I tell you how to do that!

Warning: This episode is heavy. Suicide loves shame, secrecy and aloneness so that is of course why I'm talking about it! I share with you the story of a friend I lost to suicide and what I would now say to him and to anyone else who is really struggling right now or contemplating suicide.