Passion

What causes someone to misplace their passion? I hear so many people in the helping profession talk about burning out. I hear people use words like "hate" and "sick and tired" when describing their job.

It has become my passion to help people who burn out and help others keep from burning out. I remember the first time I knew I wanted to be in the counseling field. I was in second grade (no kidding)...but am very aware that I was prepared for it much earlier. I don't know of a time in my life that I haven't experienced a great need for introspection.

I love this work. I cannot imagine doing anything else. Do I get tired? Do I feel overwhelmed? Do I find some days full of more work than hours? Yes, yes, yes.

But I hope to never lose this passion for helping others. I think the chance to get to do this work is so worthwhile.

There is a great meditation I found more than ten years ago in a meditation book put out by a treatment center that is no longer around that I keep taped to my desk....

"I need to remember that my ability to counsel others is God's gift to me. Others are helped, but it must also be essentially my blessing. I am in a privileged position -- to see a spark of hope, a breakthrough in denial, some real tough honesty. Recovery. It is truly my blessing. Today I ask to be worthy of my gift."

On Fire, Not burning out.