When I was at my worst in Compassion Fatigue, I had to find someone I could talk to. I did not feel safe sharing my feelings with my co-workers. I feared their harsh judgment of me, so I kept a tight lid on my truth. Honestly, my heart was full of hate for the people on the phone, on the radio, and in the room. I was miserable. And my misery was contagious.
Is your workplace open to accepting vulnerability in teammates?
Or is that fodder for gossip?
What if there had been a way to talk about the complex issues we all wrestle with?
Gremlins
As I pondered that question, I came up with the idea to personify the different aspects of our being that we need to deal with to attend to for optimum health. That is how the little creatures I call Gremlins came into my work.
Let me introduce them to you and tell you a bit about their focus.
Echo
Echo is our self-concept.
Not just who we believe we are. Echo also represents how we are showing up in the world.
Because what we get from other people is often a response to what we have put out. The way we interact with others informs how we get treated.
Mojo
Mojo is our physical well-being.
When we eat right, exercise adequately, hydrate healthily, and sleep peacefully, our bodies feel great.
And, when we don’t feel well, we don’t treat others well.
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Pointer
Pointer is our attitude. This is based on who we attribute responsibility for our mood.
If we think our bad mood is because of other people, we become powerless.
When we recognize our part in any negative situation, and choose differently for ourselves, we are better able to have a powerful and positive attitude.
Sparky
Sparky is our temperature in relationships. We like to be in warm interactions most of the time.
There are times when our temperature turns frosty cold; and times when we become flaming hot.
With our co-workers and customers, staying as close to warm is what we strive to do.
Buddy
Buddy is our connection to love. It is how we are relating to ourselves, other people, and to whatever we call our spiritual lives.
When our Buddy suffers, it drags us down.
Knowing the human condition too well hurts us, and we can develop a hole in our hearts.
Paying Attention
Paying attention to all of these different aspects of ourselves daily is a powerful tool in recognizing when we need help.
Sharing this tool within our workgroups is a way to open a non-threatening conversation with our teams.
Because, if we don’t find a way to talk about the number one health hazard we face in our industry, we are guilty of negligence.
You are worth your effort.
Love yourself enough to pay attention to your own well-being.
We need you!
