Caring for yourself and others
How to strike a balance
As the reliable friend and family member that you are, you have noticed how much people rely on you during their times of need. You are the one who dishes out advice, helps financially, fixes problem, is there for everybody whenever they need someone amongst many other things. Sometimes, you felt overwhelmed and exhausted while trying to keep up with all these things. It does not mean you want to stop being the type of person you are; it is just that all of your energy is being spent on others with little or none to spare for yourself. You are looking for a way to say "No" once in a while and not feel guilty about it. You should be able to decide what requests you would like to grant and what requests you should pass up. Creating a balance is the best thing, and we will be looking at four steps you can take to achieve that.
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Do not be quick to say Yes.
Taking care of yourself starts with not over-committing to certain things. Sometimes, when someone makes a request, your first reaction most times will be to say "Yes" even if what you would like to say is "No." It may be a phone call or text message informing you of an emergency; you need to settle down and think it through before you respond. A counselor in Orlando will give you the necessary pointers that you need to deal with this effectively. For instance, you could start with taking some time to consider every request or take an hour or more to respond to "emergency" messages. After a while, if you still feel you want help and is convenient for you, then you can go ahead.
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Evaluate your capability
For every person you say yes to, they start to have expectations. For this reason, you should only say yes to the things you are sure you are capable of doing regarding time, beliefs, emotions and finances. You should not commit yourself to do things that you know will hurt you somehow.
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Don't avoid
If you get a request from someone and you have decided to say no, delaying or not giving a response will not make things better. A counselor in Orlando will tell you to give the other person the response you have in mind and get it done with once and for all. You might feel anxious and fearful but avoiding giving a response will only keep both of you stuck in a spot.
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Implementing your No
This is the hardest part that a lot of people seem to find very hard to do. It is usually uncomfortable and awkward to deny people of their requests, but if you are not in a good position to grant the request, then it's best to say no. To effectively pass across your message, try and be honest about why you cannot help, thank the person for thinking you can help and maintain your ground (for those that will insist on you helping).
Once you master the above steps and you channel your energy into caring for yourself, you will be better for it. A counselor in Orlando can help you deal with issues like this. Book a session with a counselor in Orlando by contacting Orlando Thrive Therapy on 407 592 8997 or sending an email today.
