You Can’t Pour From An Empty Pitcher
“Think of others before yourself.”
Growing up Catholic, this was a strong message floating around me. Being an Empath on top of that, this concept took itself to a whole other extreme in my life.
Constantly overwhelmed with the needs of others, pouring out my energy to give to everyone around me, helping them, supporting them, loving them, bending and twisting to accommodate them and make sure they were comfortable, believing it was my responsibility to help them, or save them...
So much so that by the time I was in my late 20s, I was empty. I literally had no idea what it meant to prioritize my own needs. They weren’t even on the list, much less the bottom of it. Hell, I honestly didn’t even know what my own needs were!
I was so disconnected from myself internally, that I was entirely unable to identify what I needed or wanted anymore. And it was complete foreign territory for me to think about myself first.
I’d carried a subconscious belief that putting myself first was selfish.
And I can’t begin to tell you how common a belief this is for so many people, especially us deeply, deeply sensitive ones.
I had to learn how to help myself. It wasn’t “natural” for me at first, I had to practice and explore and get to know myself — the real me that was buried underneath the pain. I learned that self-love (real, deep self-love and care) is NOT selfish. It fact, it’s quite the opposite.
One of my favorite phrases is: “You can’t pour from an empty pitcher.” You see, it is loving (helping, caring for...) yourself FIRST that actually allows you to help and love and be more available to others.
Loving yourself first is what fills your pitcher.
Think of how you respond when someone needs help... How you show up and give no questions asked...
Well, you are responsible for helping YOU. You are responsible for filling your pitcher.
Are you doing it? Or is there work to do here..? Some questions very worthy of your attention.🖤
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(She/Her)
The gal behind Held In The Heart. The Community Journal is a space for those who feel deeply to express freely. We explore all sorts of things here, from the real & raw healing stories & creative writing, to the funny & fleeting moments of everyday human life. I warmly welcome you and invite you to explore with us!