When Helping is Harmful

Anger is such a powerful emotion and it often triggers us to act;  but do those actions create desired outcomes?

I work in the Social Services field and often find myself managing many emotions, especially anger.  Unfortunately, sometimes when I start taking on the injustices of the social services system and the resulting consequences I become reactionary.  I, of course, feel justified in my actions and feel compelled to tell everyone how this and that are not working right.   Sometimes I find myself so activated, in fact, that my intense behaviors start to infiltrate other areas of my life.  At those time, I can be experienced as off-putting rather than as the helpful soul I strive to be.

I was confronted by a superior recently and was forced to step back to examine my motives.  Defensive at first, I felt a strong urge to justify my behaviors.  I took a deep breath, went inside myself and realized that my emotional body was so activated that I was misinterpreting the situation and other people’s actions.  I had insinuating myself into situations where no one had actually extended a hand asking for help.  As a helper in the helping profession, I can get overly sympathetic and take on too much.

The decision to practice wisdom in difficult situations is something I re-commit to every day.  When I contemplate the wisdom of my spiritual teacher it moves my soul and restores me to proper alignment.  Below are some tools I use to reposition myself when necessary.

• Be in it but not of it
• Don’t extend help if someone isn’t asking
• Stay aligned in love and compassion
• Seek to understand before being understood
• Visualize God creation in all beings, things and activities
• Practice proper self love

Ask yourself, how are you primarily positioned in your daily activities?  Is it serving you well and elevating you to higher consciousness.