Over the past few years, millions of people have made personal sacrifices for the sake of others. From healthcare workers to teachers and working-plus-homeschooling parents to single people who stayed home despite great loneliness, helpers have shown up strong.
Of course, we have also seen increasing rates of stress, anxiety, and burnout among many helpers. Oxhandler, who recently published The Soul of the Helper, encourages those who tend to put others first to take a moment and look inside their own lives.
“We must recognize and heal what’s within ourselves in order to truly recognize and heal what’s within this world,” Oxhandler writes.
For helpers, looking inward can often feel more difficult than caring for someone else. But helpers will find that their compassion for others only grows as they take the time to care for themselves, as well.
As Oxhandler puts it, “When helpers see and serve the Sacred within themselves, they are more likely to see and serve the Sacred within those they care for.”
