There are many definitions of the word “balance.” The one that applies to this weekly update is: “mental and emotional steadiness.” This definition is obviously referring to psychological balance, which we all need to be able to achieve, and then maintain. However, before we think about emotional or mental steadiness, let’s think about physical balance.  Have you ever tripped over something and fell? I certainly have, and it is a very odd feeling. At first, your body will fight to retain or re-establish its balance, and sometimes it takes a few seconds for the actual fall to occur. I love watching football and find it fascinating how a good running back can avoid falling down well after the first “hit” they receive. This is called being able to “pick up yards after initial contact.” Some really good players can gain hundreds of yards during a season by not falling down immediately after being hit. They stumble, flip, fly, hurdle, flail their arms wildly, and even crawl for a distance (without allowing their knee to touch the ground) before finally coming to a halt or succumbing to the “tackle.” Amazing! I trip over a pair of socks and nearly break my leg! My balance is not very steady, evidently.

For many people, their emotional and mental balance is not very steady and they “fall” very easily, while others fight very hard against the “tackling forces of life” before eventually reaching a point of burnout, or psychological imbalance. We will all reach this point of imbalance eventually, as it seems to be the nature of our vocation. The question is: How do we regain our psychological balance once we have stumbled and fallen? It has been said that there are two stages of healing: the “get still stage,” and the “get moving stage.” Think of someone who has suffered a physical injury from their “falling down episode.” In order for them to heal from the injury, they have to get still for a while … and then they have to get moving. Imagine the tough physical therapist coming into the room! Frightening! But, their function is a key element of the healing process. They must get the patient to begin moving in order to initiate rehabilitation. The same two stages apply to emotional healing as well.

If you have reached a point of mental or emotional imbalance, or have been hurt psychologically by all of the demands of your daily life (work, school, kids, relationship, etc.) then there needs to be a period of “getting still” which is then followed by a period of “getting moving.”  Get still by praying, meditating, worshiping, sleeping, sitting in a hot tub, or a combination of all of these or other activities that allow your soul to rest. This has to be an intentional action that you take; you cannot rely on others to ensure that you get this done. It is up to you, as a part of your own self-care routine, to set aside this “stillness” time in your life. Then, after a time of being still, get moving! Get moving by rejoining your routines in a systematic and organized fashion. Be diligent about your schedule and practice good time management so that you avoid the trap of chaos. Just as in the case management process, reaction kills momentum in life. If we are reactionary, as opposed to proactive, in our planning, we will get to the end of the day and wonder if we have accomplished a single thing. Finally, get moving by serving others. The process of service is the best anecdote that I have found to fight off “the blues.” Serving others brings great joy and a sense of well-being that is more authentic and therapeutic than any other activity that I might “prescribe.” As case managers, you undoubtedly know this to be true. For those of you who might read this who are not case managers, there are many other opportunities for service all around you. Find something that allows you to take the focus off of yourself and use your talents and abilities to uplift someone else. You will be amazed at the effect it will have on your mental and emotional health. Finding your mental and emotional steadiness is a process and the more you practice, the better at it you will become. Who knows, with practice, you may be able to gain more and more yards after the first hit you take. It will become much harder for the tackling forces of life to bring you down, and you will be able to serve at an even higher level than ever before. In that case, we all benefit. 

As always, thank you for what you do each and every day for those that you serve on this project. The impact of this project has been very real to many people, and you should be proud that so many have been uplifted by your efforts. Keep up the good work, and do your best to maintain your balance.

Peace……

Stephen P. Carr II, MA,  MFT
Program Director
Mississippi Case Management Consortium
www.mc-mc.org