Rekindling: Compassion Fatigue Solutions For Animal Workers

In this age of hustle culture, overwhelm and anxiety, it's no wonder we're burning out in record numbers. We've equated being "productive" with success. I've got news for you, the two have nothing to do with each other! I want to invite you to consider "unproductivity", the concept of resting, doing leisure activities and perhaps just goofing off. You'll have to fight your inner critic though because it's been gathering opinions of others for decades about how if you're not being productive, you're a horrible human and even worse.....lazy!  Let's blow it all up and redecide! 

Guilt is an emotion that is no stranger to animal workers. Those that work to improve the lives of animals can be exceptionally hard on themselves and often find themselves wrestling with feelings of guilt. And guilt can be one of those emotions that we need some strategies to help loosen it's grip on our psyche. 

In a culture that for women glorifies perfection, it can feel unnerving to consider that our actions or ourselves could be "good enough". For most women (and some men) that is an impossible concept to make peace with as they constantly beat themselves up to do better and better. But "good enough" isn't mediocrity, instead its the space between unrealistic and realistic.  September 29, 2023 is the last day to register for my 6 month group for women veterinarians, Living A Life You Love. Click here for all the info. 

We often use the terms emotional and mental health interchangeably but they are actually different. They can influence and impact each other but understanding the difference can allow you to seek the appropriate type of support and resources based on your specific needs.  Living a Life You Love, my 6-month program for women veterinarians is now OPEN for registration. It only opens twice a year and won't be again until 2024. Click here for all the details. Also, here's a wonderful Feelings Chart to help you increase your emotional literacy. 

I'm an introvert. I love being by myself but too much of anything isn't good, including alone time. We need community. We need each other. We need to feel safe with others that we feel connected to and a part of. In Okinawa, Japan they have a term "moai" which refers to a small social group that supports one in mental, emotional, physical and even financial ways. It's one of the reasons Okinawa is a "Blue Zone" and is home to more centenarians that almost anywhere else on earth.   I think we all need a "moai" of open-minded, hopeful, supportive, positive, soul sisters to walk through the hard times and help us celebrate the good ones. We're hard-wired to thrive in small groups and if you're a woman veterinarian, I may have just the thing for you, my 6-month group program, Living A Life You Love.  To join my e-inspiration emails, text REKINDLE to 66866.  Registration is now open for Living a Life You Love.  Questions about the program or if it's right for you? Email me at julie@juliesquires.net

When you're feeling down about something you can get lost in a way of seeing things that offers you no relief. These automatic thoughts will keep you stuck unless you engage with them and start a two-way conversation. Your brain CANNOT have the last say!  To join my e-inspiration list and to know when Living A Life You Love opens, text REKINDLE to 66866.  Here are the 11 questions: 1.Have I already decided on this issue? 2.What meaning have I attached to the situation? Is that true? What else could it mean? What emotions might be clouding my reaction? What is happening without my story about what’s happening? 3.What is the behavior you wish you’d effortlessly demonstrate in this situation? 4.How is solving your problem different from responding to it? 5.Are you giving yourself credit for trying? 6.What do you know you need to do? 7.How can I enjoy this in a way that represents an improvement for me? 8.Is this worth it? 9.Am I telling myself the whole truth? What perspectives have I left out? 10.If you say yes

We are all socialized to rely on others for approval and validation and that makes us highly reliant on the opinions, feedback and actions of others in order to feel supported and good about ourselves. That presents a big problem when others don't say or do what we want. This episode will help you understand why we are all so reliant on external validation and how to become your own champion of belief in yourself and support. 

Today I interview former Animal Care Director and Life Coach Kelly Mullins. Kelly and I met at Catskill Animal Sanctuary (CAS) where at times she was responsible for the lives and wellbeing of over 300 animals, the animal care staff and the buildings and grounds. She has her own unique experience of burnout and grief associated with both her personal life and her work in animal welfare. Now she's coaching others to help them find joy and meaning in their lives and perhaps some teeny, tiny frogs!  You can find out more about Kelly at www.kellymullinscoaching.com

Reasons and excuses may by definition appear very similar but there's one thing that vastly separates them, their consequences. Understanding whether something is a reason or an excuse can change what you do next.  Text REKINDLE to 66866 to join my Monday and Friday e-inspiration list! 

This episode was inspired by a simple quote of Mother Theresa's. She said, "I'm not against war, I'm FOR peace." Every since I heard that quote I can't stop thinking about it's application to work, life  and basically everything. Do you know what you're FOR vs. AGAINST? I didn't until a really thought about it. Join me for this insight.  To join my email list text REKINDLE to 66866

Perhaps the most important element of emotional intelligence is self-awareness, the ability to understand our feelings, actions, triggers, limitations and strengths. The more self-aware we are the better humans we are, it's that simple. Check out this episode where I dive into the what, why and the how of self-awareness.  To join my email list, text REKINDLE to 66866. 

10 years ago I decided to invest in a Peloton bike. It was before anyone had one, I'm an OG! How could I believe in something and be willing put down hard-earned cash on something that wasn't even out on the market yet? Faith. Believing in something without any evidence. You can choose to either believe it will work out well or you can choose to believe it won't. I'll always choose the former, even if I'm wrong. 

When faced with difficulty and challenges we can either be the victim of our circumstances or the hero. And there may be time you truly were the victim but we can always change the way we tell our story. You survived what happened in the past and you're surviving now, that's heroic. This is powerful work that you can do on anything you're struggling with now or things from your past. 

We all react sometimes when unexpected things happen. It can be very valuable to think about what could go wrong with a big event or important situation you might have going on in your life. It's important to think about it not to fixate on all the "bad" things that could happen but to make space in your mind for all the possible outcomes. Because if you do, you give yourself the ability to respond vs. react. And responding almost always has a better outcome for you and everyone involved. 

Your self-concept is a collection of the perceptions you have about yourself. What you think about yourself informs who you believe yourself to be. Confidence and self-confidence are all based on what you tell yourself repeatedly. Our self-talk if not steered toward the positive can lead us to a negative self-image, lots of anxiety and lack of belief in ourselves.  The Self-Talk Jar is a tool you can use to shift and change your self-talk.  Here's the handout to help you make your own Self-Talk Jar. 

Does this sound familiar? When I finish this class/lose the weight/hire the associate/the kids go back to school....then I'll be happy, feel relaxed and be able to chill. The problem with this way of thinking is that 1.) it relegates your emotions to the circumstances of your life (which is not true) and 2.) it delays your joy to the future that keeps it perpetually out of reach.  In this episode I will teach you how to stop postponing the joy that's available to you right here, right now.  The book I mention in this podcast is Microjoys by Cyndie Spiegel. Available wherever books are sold. 

This week I had a birthday and while I'm so grateful to be alive and in good health, I also feel so much gratitude for you. Those that give of themselves and make many, many sacrifices to improve animals lives or deaths are what I call unsung heroes.  Please allow me to just express a little of what is in my heart. I even have a poem for you and about you. Listen in! 

I know you're a "fixer" for animals but what happens when humans around you are experiencing emotional pain from grief, anxiety, depression or heartbreak? You're naturally tendency is to try and fix them and you can't (and they don't need you to!). There are things you can do for people to support, validate and love them. This episode is that!  Text REKINDLE to 66866 to receive my weekly emails. 

We tend to not notice when we are well until we are sick. We tend to not notice having a full staff of employees until we don't. We tend to not pay much attention to our pet behaving until they misbehave. Ultimately we tend to not pay attention to what's NOT happening in any moment, in other words, the absence of difficulty, challenges and hardship. That is positive absence and it's so worth paying attention to. Let me explain how! 

Guilt is like a heavy backpack strapped to your shoulders, filled with stones of past actions and regrets. Carrying it around weighs you down, making each step feel burdensome. It tugs at your every movement, preventing you from moving forward freely. Only by acknowledging and unloading the stones of guilt can you lighten your load and walk with a renewed sense of freedom and self-compassion.