compassion

Acceptance: Self & Others

Acceptance: Self & Others

Acceptance of Self 

Becoming a Social Worker requires a special level of compassion, humility, and integrity. Working in this field can bring issues that have been suppressed to the forefront. Working with individuals can bring upon memories of past experiences that may have caused trauma. Being able to remove yourself is a skill that is learned through experience. There have been times where I have felt as if I wasn’t worthy enough to work with certain populations. To add on, there have been many times where I felt like I failed, because I wasn’t able to save someone, they weren’t able to be serviced, or they weren’t ready to make the change. Through it all, I had to learn to accept that I always give my all with every client. Understanding and accepting that no story will be a success story has been a breakthrough in my career. I no longer allow the bad to outweigh the good. Learning to accept that I am great at what I do in this field is more than enough gratification for me.

Growing Together: Friendship Gifts, Griefs, and Grace

Growing Together: Friendship Gifts, Griefs, and Grace

When I was 19, I met a girl through a mutual friend. She was funny, exuded confidence, and said and did whatever she wanted to. She and I were both tentative with each other. We circled cautiously but eventually found ourselves laughing hysterically at the same things. This would be the beginning of an almost 30-year friendship. This friendship would sometimes be tumultuous, yet it is the most loyal relationship I've ever had—the longest outside of my family. Our relationship even surpassed my marriage. However, there have been hurtful moments along the way. Some were petty, some we were not sure we'd recover from, some we had to take breaks from each other, and some brought us closer than we ever thought we could be. For lack of a better description, she is my "ride or die" because of the honesty and painful confrontations our friendship has gone through. 

Are You Trading Authenticity for Attachment?

Are You Trading Authenticity for Attachment?

I felt this uncomfortable sensation in my body. I found myself striving yet resisting at the same time. The resistance I felt internally was my body actively trying to pull back from that striving. That resistance was my authenticity. At that moment, I was around people who were not a part of my tribe, and it was very hard for me to relate to them. I felt my primitive brain trying to strive to fit in for survival. Exclusion can feel like a survival level threat, and the pain from that experience can feel physical — so of course my body was fighting to avoid that pain. I then checked in with my body, and I felt myself needing a good talk with someone who I felt who got what I was experiencing. I needed some advice. I needed someone to help remove the discomfort. The more I sat with the emotion, I recognized I needed to connect with myself. No one would know how to interpret my feelings in that moment better than me. What was that anxious feeling trying to express to me? I then reached into my Resilience Toolkit and pulled out the Insight Timer app from my phone. Upon scrolling, I noticed the track, “The Power of Inclusion and Authenticity” by Lynn Fraser Stillpoint. Within 5 mins, I felt my body take a deep breath. My body felt understood.