Beyond Fatigue Into Compassion

I had hopes that I was a bodhisattva in training. You know, some who is here on this planet to help alleviate suffering. Lately I have felt anything but compassionate. In fact, I find myself in a quagmire. Have you every just felt depleted? Like you’re scraping the barrel of your compassion and you’ve got nothing left? I feel that I am there. 

So, what is this quagmire? It’s compassion fatigue. This is caused by empathy arousal or being overwhelmed by the feelings of suffering of another. When we are unable to move past empathy arousal, we have compassion fatigue which causes personal suffering. We’ve got nothing left. We act from our suffering and unintentionally contribute to a toxic environment. 

So, how do we get past the fatigue? First we realize that we are caught in this cycle of shared suffering. Then we name how we are stuck in empathy arousal or caught in the feelings of another.

How do we shift from this place of suffering and fatigue? Unfortunately there is no one-size-fits-all response. We may find a way to minimize the impact of being stuck in empathy arousal; we may continue to spiral into fatigue unaware; or, we might just walk away. I hate to quit. I hate being stuck. But, sometimes I am too tired to move forward.

Shifting begins with awareness. We name how we are feeling and find the energy to discover what is triggering our fatigue. These simple steps clear the debris on the road that brings us back to our true self. Clearing the path riddled with debris requires an act of self compassion — maintaining healthy personal boundaries. This means being aware when they are breached and continuing to repair them as needed. 

The more we do this, the more we heal the cracks through which our compassion spills. As those cracks heal, we can return to being a person who holds the space for suffering to be alleviated. 

But, in this moment I don’t have a lot of energy to focus outward. I am going to be okay with focusing on myself and healing those cracks. I know that only through the practice of self compassion can I be compassion to others. I hope that you are kind to yourself, too. 

Van Hurst, ms, is an intuitive-coach-catalyst. She uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for navigating the mundane and extraordinary. The result of time with Van? An evolving blueprint for your life that sustains a deeper connection to your intuition and contemplative nature. 

Van is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Her most recent book, As Natural As Breathing: Being Intuitive, is available on Amazon. Contact Vanessa for life coaching, intuitive consultations, keynotes, and programs. 

Website / LinkedIn Profile / Facebook / Twitter: @fyrserpent / ©2022