How much of yourself can you give to others before you have nothing left?

Question

I'm speaking emotionally. Do you feel drained sometimes, exhausted from trying to help others feel better all the time?
I feel that sometimes I have to go away for a day to recharge, maybe find someone I can borrow some positivity from for a little bit.
Being around the negative for too long can eat you alive, if you aren't careful.

Answer 1

I know, i know. But ya know what-its ok to be weak. Its ok to be drained too. I help alot of people in my life and many dont know how i always have a smile on my face while carrying and listening and helping with the woes of others. But i'll let you in on a little secret. Its all about love. ALL IS LOVE. The hate we feel, the pain we endure, the hurt we heal-its all love. Only those who love something will muster enough energy to hate something else. Only those who feel pain have something they love in their lives that feels and they love enough to be pained at its suffering. Only those who want to heal have a love to help in the world. All from love. Even Hitler was a loving man. It was his love of a greater world (albeit a little wrong) that drove him to do what he did.
And so when we realize that love is the origin of the problems that we carry in others, that love is the reason we burden ourselves so magnificently. When we realize this simple truth the burden and the hurt lightens itself above the dredgery of chores and it transcends the fact that we "need" energy to help others. We need nothing-we have all the love in the world we need, not only to heal ourselves (we are given no problem by the IS without being given a solution) but also to heal others. The world is ONE in love and in this way when you try to realize the love you feel in healing and helping others then you fully realize that you have the world's unlimited love behind you.
This is so simple a truth as to be forgotten by the very many who need to know it to create a better world, not only in their lives, and the lives around them but in the lives of all the world.
There is no negativity, only twisted love and untwisting it is the role of the healer in you.

Answer 2

You cant keep giving. The point is you need to recharge your batteries so you can continue. Also if you keep giving to make some one feel happy and they dont return that in some way you should look at that part of your life and perhaps change it so that when you do give they are happy long enough for you to recharge so they get more. However they should realise that by giving something back in making you happy the circle will go up and not down. It might be worth pointing out if they keep taking eventually they will empty you and there will be nothing to take. You are not a bottemless pit of Joy and Happiness if you dont get the time and chance to attend to your self and own needs. Try looking for a way to break the cycle of giving giving giving. If the person you are supporting really appreciates you for who you are they should understand that you need to be on the recieving end once in a while and also that you must attend to your own needs with out the need to feel guilty that for a small while you are not constantly supporting. If they dont see this then your are in a downward spiral. And that is not the achievment you are looking for. Try to find a way to build on the fact they should realise you will be there for them but You are not them and need to live your life too. If they can not survive with out you for short periods then perhpas they need to seek help from other areas. The thing to realise is that you are just as important as they are. Other wise you burnout. And will have nothing to give

Answer 3

Yes, i know exactly what you mean !!
You give you energy and measure of
heart, your care and love only to be taken
advantage of and used like some toy
you wind up ...
Then after a while that winding spring gets
a bit stretched !! And you feel weak and
empty and your motivation is stiff with no
balance of equilibrium because you've given all
of you toward another life who like an
emotional vampire has destroyed all which
you brought to them by wanting more and not
giving back to you what perhaps you may also
need for your own inner peace ....
But, lucky for me i have found a true light
who gives to me such happiness like i've
never experienced .. So it is like my light is
my power pack to recharge every day by way
of feeling the ways of a hug and smile, even
though it is coming from so many miles away !!
The POWER of kindness is a strong as the power
of LOVE !!
My LIGHT recharges my whole Being no matter
how negative my emotions are running ...
If only everyone could feel this special light as
i do the world would be a better place indeed !!

Answer 4

You need to find a balance where you are not so drained and spent when you do things for others. There is just so much that one can do and then no more. We can not save the whole world but just a little part of it.
When you help someone and you feel like you have reached you limit then you need to get away before you start feeling drained and spent. There is no reason to have to go that far. There are others that can step in and help too. Don't think that you have to do it all or it won't get done. You'll be amazed how when you step aside that things have a way of solving themselves or righting themselves when you aren't in the picture.

Answer 5

Yes, good question. Myself get drained emotionally quite easily. I don't know if i should put up an emo blocade of some sort to avoid getting burned out because it is just so tiring to keep giving sometimes. And i feel the level of sensitivity that one is on towards their environment almost definitely has an impact on on our energy and state of mind. And not a very good impact sad to say...
It may be benevolent but slightly mad when you are starving for what you yourself wish to give to others. Maybe we are giving from ourselves no longer for altruistic purposes...but as a way of self fulfilment in the end. We wish it to happen to us, so we end up making it come true for others we care about first. Not sure if that makes any sense. Sorry if my answer is out of order, it's frikkin 4 am here.:-)

Answer 6

I have always been the giver ... always wanting to support others. But when my son past away I felt so angry that others were not willing to give it back. Needless to say I have become a little bitter and just time to unwind. I have written off a lot of people as well who were not supportive and found that I would prefer to have the friends that are there during the good and as well bad times. Those I will continue to help and be there for.

Hugs from a Loving Mom to a Brillant, as well as beautiful 8 year old Jared and Our Angel, Zachary (taken to soon but who will always remain in our heart) ~ Mel

Answer 7

Guilty your honor. There's no me time, and I spend 99.9% of my time feeling mentally and physically exhausted. The negativity sometimes takes my positivity away. However, I've gotten to the point where I accept my responsibilities to others, and know that I'm making a difference.

Answer 8

Always end up drained at the end of the day. However, with the intention of helping others in mind, it keep me going further the next time without feeling obliged.

Answer 9

the more you give, the more you have. that is not to say that we dont need to recharge -- everyone needs that! but being a positive force in negative surroundings feeds the positive. negativity is really just a lack of belief in the possible. as you show others that things are possible, that progress can be made, you slowly convert them. most people who are negative by nature will say that they are realists. this is their crutch for maintaining a skeptical viewpoint. by showing them results, you show them that the realistic attitude is that things can happen for them when they work for it

Answer 10

You can give endlessly to those who are positive or who need you to help them. Giving to those who are negative will wear you out but not deplete you - you will have to 'recharge your batteries though'. The key is to get the negative people out of your life or to spend as little time with them as you can.