How to Care Deeply Without Burning Out

I have been listening to the We Can Do Hard Things podcast, watching what’s happening on IG, and taking action to gather with community.

The combination of over doing these things is making me feel ill. I lost my appetite today.

The thought of children having no representation. The thought of women’s rights being stripped from them.

The thought of bounty hunters being paid to work with ICE to bring in immigrants for money.

It’s all repulsive.

Not paying attention doesn’t make any of it go away.

Paying too close attention leads to burnout, depression, fatigue, and hopelessness.

I know better, and yet I click away on my phone building a flyer to feel I'm doing something.

This is the flyer I created for anyone in California who is wondering who to call or write to.

If you had told high school me, 20 year old me, or 30 year old me, I’d be writing letters to my senators and representatives and telling others to do the same I would have said,

“What’s does a senator or a representative have to do with me?”

I wouldn’t have waited for the answer, because I didn't have the bandwidth to see beyond my own struggles.

But now I see too much.

I know to much.

I feel responsible.

I feel I have to do something.

Here’s the flyer.

Here’s an app you can use to see major issues if you aren’t seeing them and you can make calls today.

5 calls (Apple), 5 calls (Android)

Here’s the only other solution I have.

Put the phone down after you’ve done the work.

Be present with loved ones.

Feed yourself, no matter how hard is is, feed yourself.

We have to sustain ourselves.

Burnout isn’t an option. We need sustainable compassion in action.

Do what you can when you can and rest when you need to so you can come back with more fuel.

You can’t do anything on an empty tank.

Okay I'm off to the park with my daughter to watch her gleefully climb, slide, and play while I stare at her in awe.

Here’s a song I've been using to start my day. I hope you enjoy it as much as i do.

Remember you’ve got this, keep going.

You Got This by Deraj Global

And here's a song to remind you it can get easier.

Ooh Child by MILCK

Love always,

Danielle Mallett