In our chosen profession we dedicate out lives to fostering the growth and change in others. It’s what we signed up to do, it’s what we love to do. How often do we show ourselves the same encouragement? Our field demands empathy, adaptability, and resilience. We face complex and emotionally taxing situations day in and day out. We bought the ticket we take the ride and so we must be open to new experiences and ideas. It’s a load bearing wall in the house of sustainable self care.
We will all find ourselves falling into patterns if we pay attention. Familiar roles, approaches, and routines will understandably be established as our minds do what they’re designed to do, which is predict the future. Predicting the future is impossible though, so rigidity leads to stagnation and a diminished ability to serve our clients. Burnout anyone?
This is why openness is so vital. Openness combats the inevitable creep of burnout in our profession. When we’re open to new experiences, we invite novelty and stimulation into our lives. Things like trying a new hobby, exploring a different journaling technique, or taking an unmapped never before taken route home can break us out of autopilot stoking passion.
Openness also heightens our capacity for understanding. Social work requires us to connect on an intimate level with individuals from backgrounds very different from our own. We must be able to see different perspectives. Embracing new ideas challenges our assumptions and expands our worldview. When we engage with different cultures, beliefs, and experiences we plant the seeds of a deeper understanding of the human condition making us more effective and compassionate leaders within our agencies.
Openness fosters resilience and grit. The Helping Professions are inherently unpredictable. When we’re open to new experiences and information we equip ourselves with flexibility and the ability to adapt to fluid situations awhile navigating the unexpected without getting startled or worked up. We know beforehand that uncertainty is likely to be a thing, so we’re less likely to become overwhelmed by it. This adaptability is key to maintaining superior emotional well being and prevent compassion fatigue.
Professionally, openness supercharges growth. Few fields change as often as ours. The only constant is change as the saying goes. New theories and techniques are emerging regularly. When we maintain our openness to these changes, we ensure that our skills and knowledge remain tip of the spear relevant and effective. Continuous learning is something to strive for in all aspects of life, but our clients will benefit greatly from this professional development and isn’t that why we do what we do?
Lastly, embracing new experiences and ideas shows self compassion. It’s an acknowledgment that we are not perfect and have room to evolve. It allows us to get outside our comfort zones, challenge perceived limitations, discover new aspects of ourselves and grow.
In the quicksand of heavy caseloads and hyper emotional labor, prioritizing self care through openness can feel like navel gazing. It’s not. It’s necessary. Cultivating openness to new things and ideas is a form of self care which enhances our professional effectiveness and enriches our personal lives. When we “embrace the suck” we find new energy, deepen our connections, and grease the groove of purpose in our vital line of work.
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