I think I began struggling with compassion fatigue this year. I think collectively we all have to an extent, since I've noticed a lot of selective empathy happening. There's a lot to digest and people have become much more outward about their suffering than before. It's like we've culturally shifted from putting on a brave face to letting it all hang out or having public tantrums.
I always saw tantrums as emotional immaturity or bullying or mental illness, because it demonstrates a lack of self control and a biased perception of reality. Maybe sometimes it's warranted. But often we get so caught up in right vs wrong that we forget to see each other as humans. It worries me. You can't reason with a traumatized person who is experiencing an episode, and like my grandma said, you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. In fact I should try that since some of my plants have contracted flies...
I woke up super cranky but I don't want to get into why. I'd rather shift my attention to what I'm grateful for today because I think that's more important and also a more pleasant place for my soul to reside. Three different women remarked the other day that some things I shared were soul-feeding or that I have an artistic soul and that they miss my soul -- all soul related comments. So I think that can only happen when I nourish my own soul instead of getting sucked into the void of misery. Fixing the soul of the world is an inside job. A lot of it is perception. And some things you just have to let be.
Grateful today for: soft background music, clean dishes, clean floor, snacks, and my little indoor jungle in the middle of a concrete one.
Today I'd like to aim to take any negative passing thought I have with a grain of salt. And to not worry about what other people are doing or thinking. Today I want to just look inward and enjoy the little world I've made for myself.
12:08 p.m. - 2021-06-25