I must fix everything
Being a “fixer” is something we are. Being a problem solver may be so automatic to you that you have never thought about it that way. Animal folk tend to have that extra “special sauce” that makes them add what is needed to make things happen. I am the type that if I see something needs an extra hand or attention, I just do it (sorry Nike, I was here first!) without making it a big deal during or after I am done. I am on autopilot perhaps? I bet you do that too, more than you realize.
We all have seen a dog chasing its tail. Okay you think, she gone off in a puzzling direction now. Nope! I want you to visualize the spinning dog and what you see. Round and round looking so focused and sooo certain the tail will be caught; THE TAIL NEEDS TO BE CAUGHT!!
Thinking we must fix everything immediately is a bad idea. And an impossible idea. Letting our brain set a priority of NOW on all incoming targets puts us in one place only.
We be chasing our tail.
Maybe you get a mouthful of delicious butt fur but (or is it butt?) and that is it. Not exactly allowing us to hit our real goals, is it?
We can do anything if we just stop trying to do everything.
One of my volunteering gigs was with an organization that was on the smaller side. We would work with one or two others which meant there was much to keep a small crew busy depending how many dogs we had, how many new ones recently came and what the weather was doing or was about to do. The weather, jeez, I may have to do a post just about the damn weather and how much it does to our animal agenda! Anyway. Things could change quickly, priorities had to shift but still the “must do’s” had to get done or else. At some point I started a very bad mindset as I realized just how much the dogs and the organization counted on us and I started to pile on too much mental “do or die” tasks to do before my shift ended. “I need to sanitize all the dog bowls, even the ones not in use because what if more dogs come in later this week, will they know the dishes have been cleaned recently?’” I need to recount the stock core medications to be sure we have enough in case a dog comes down sick and no one can get to the vet to pick up the meds”….” Toby got brushed last night but he looks like he needs to be brushed again in case the p.m. shift doesn’t have time”. Oh my gawd, what the hell! And this was pre-pandemic panic too, me taking a twirling cliff dive off into insanity. Lalala and splat!
Unlike nearly any other vocation, animal welfare engages our heart just as much as our physical and mental efforts. We care, we care an awful lot. Our days and work invade our sleep and dreams, it is so much of who we are. This can override our skills as problem solvers and organizers of change. The loss of a better balance of heart and hand creates mental chaos. We kind of start to drown in our own good intentions.
Reaching out to our fellow team members, shift leaders, volunteer coordinators etc. can help guide us kindly back to a controlled and productive pace. When getting caught in our own personal whirling agenda we can lose sight of the simple fact that we are not alone, we are part of a team, even if we don’t see the full team all the time. At the beginning of your day or week even, ask whoever coordinates shifts or the work, if there are any new priorities to add to your day? Ask them their advice regarding what to do if things get crazy (bad weather as example) and what they would want you to focus on the most and what things can take a backseat. Never be afraid to ask a valid question, showing you just want to make your day a good one for the animals and the organization. I know sometimes we volunteer with people whose personalities are not like our own and this can make it hard to just start a conversation with them, you may feel awkward or intimidated or maybe you just kind of feel they are not someone you would want to be friends with. Let’s face it, animal folks often are the type of person who at parties is happier hanging out with the family dog rather than talking and socializing with the humans, right? I am an introvert and quite shy but have learned to adapt my outward self when it comes to helping the animals. The animals have helped make me a better version of me, I guess. Just be kind and keep it simple and with a genuine smile; ask more than tell, converse more than pose something that may be perceived as an argument, and you will be fine.
Collaborating will help the animals, help your other team members gain confidence too (they may be shy also) and can make for a more fulfilled and less “watch out here comes the whirling dervish on crack” feeling.
Till next time,
From one Heart to another,
~Sandra