Quote:
Originally Posted by Wandering Soul
Personally, I think what you do is something wonderful. I can tell from your posts here that you are a sensitive person and genuinely care about others. We need more people like you here. I'm not sure why you need to draw boundaries with people whom you care about (like people in your personal life)?! You might not be able to change their situation instantaneously, but I'm sure you can make them feel at least a little better, and I think you are one of those people who helps in doing so by showing empathy to others, instead of bombarding them with emotionless and critical advice like some people here who I doubt that they help at all. I think I'm not as helpful with others, but I try to help when I feel someone is in pain. But if I failed in person (which I usually do because of my lack of social skills to express myself), I would imagine how they feel when I'm alone. I know it's not helpful for them this way, but I guess it's the way how I empathize with others whom I care about.  |
Thank you so much for your kind words Wandering Soul.
I really hope I have made a few people feel a little better with my posts here, funnily enough I accept that my input here is "a drop in the ocean" more readily than in real life interactions, and I agree often posters need validation more than 'advice'. It's easier to keep boundaries in an online situation, I don't mean to sound cold but I keep an arms length distance in all my purely online interactions.
In terms of boundaries, well I wonder how much my empath/sensitive nature lead to my depression, I suspect there was a link. As in the reply above there's no good in jumping into the sea to rescue someone without a lifebelt, I'm no good to others if I go down too, particularly my family. So I feel I need to work on those boundaries, so I can empathise and support without 'going down'.
I see a lot of very sick people in my profession, people who will never get better, that can be hard to deal with sometimes. It drives my compassion, but at the same time it can break my heart. That sounds a little dramatic, but I have been to quite a few funerals recently.
You know WS you write about your lack of social skills, and maybe that is a challenge for you to work on, but I think you are refreshingly open and authentic in your posts here, that is not something everyone can do. I hope you will keep that quality, it's not all that common.