You can love what you do, and still need a break from it. I love speaking, I love breaking the stigma around mental health, I love being able to challenge myself and come up with new ideas and get really creative about things I thought I couldn’t do. I love it all. But I also am realizing how much I am excited for this summer when things slow down significantly and I can get a break from it all.
Ever since my mom’s cancer progressed, it’s been hard for me to stay on task. My work feels more like a chore because I am hurting so deeply. I am experiencing a restructure in my priorities, and right now my priorities align with helping support my mom through physical and emotional pain.
Sometimes we can begin questioning if we even love what we do anymore when we are under so much stress. But I’ve had to realize my why. And my why at the moment is different than my why of the past.
So it’s okay. It’s okay if you love your work but you are feeling overwhelmed and are wondering if the work is still a good fit for you. It’s okay if you are dragging your feet to join that meeting or class. It’s okay if you need to take a break. It’s okay if you have an external issue you are dealing with that is making it hard for you to want to keep keeping on.
I am learning that part of shifting my priorities is setting boundaries. And I am realizing more and more that work isn’t as important as nurturing my why. My why right now revolves around spending as much time as I can with my mom to see her smile and hug her as much as I can. Work can wait, but these memories with my mom can’t because I know this cancer is killing her.
So you can still love what you do, but also need to step away from it. This summer, I will be doing a lot more of setting those boundaries and enjoying the time with those around me. By taking that break this summer from the constant go, go, go – I know I will be a better speaker, a better advocate, and a better person. But right now, it’s too hard. It feels mundane at times. If you’re reading this and know I am speaking to your group soon, don’t worry, I will still bring all that I have.
The best part about working in the mental health field is that it is more than okay to practice what you preach.
So take that break for you, it isn’t selfish, it won’t set you back, it will actually set you free and allow you to flourish into the person you have always wanted to be.
Xo,