Far too often my to-do list and thoughts turn from “Create this, write that, contact them, build a relationship with them” to “be better, improve more” and keep going until it sounds like “you're not doing enough, you’re not doing well enough, you’re not enough”. The thoughts circle and spiral until you don’t remember where you started, where you are, or why you’re there. The thoughts drain you like nothing else. Before you know it only a few thoughts have brought you to a feeling of nothing and no one around. Empty.
Maybe this isn’t your exact thought process, but I’m sure at one point or another you have felt this emptiness. I know I have.
I remember the expression that everyone has a cup that fills or empties based on their actions. If you are constantly going, going, gone then your cup will empty quickly; if you take time to do what you enjoy your cup will slowly fill back up. I’m someone who enjoys working, too much at times; this leads me to not realizing when I am getting burned out until it is far too late. Many days I work first thing in the morning through dinner and then after dinner, I either work more or watch some TV while thinking about everything I could or should be doing. This only empties my cup further or if I can successfully take my mind off work while watching TV, then my cup stays at a stalemate. To refill my cup I must prioritize the things I genuinely enjoy doing. For me this is crafting; from crocheting to pottery to basketry, anything I can get my hands on to create something out of seemingly nothing fills my cup up. The feeling of creative freedom where I don’t have to do anything, but that I get to. My cup empties quickly but fills very slowly. Emptying a cup is quick and takes little energy, filling it up, however, that takes time and effort.
One of my favorite ways to use my cup of energy is to fill up the cups of those around me. Oftentimes for me, this isn’t buying them a gift, but it’s spending time with them. Asking them questions and caring about what they say in return. It’s finding the moment to sit down and chat about anything, no matter how mundane it may seem at the time. These moments, no matter how small or large, are the moments that stick with me the most.
Finding the balance between emptying and filling my cup is one of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn. You see, if I only empty my cup then I’m running on fumes trying to make it seem like I’m full and filling others. But if I were to only fill my cup then I would get nothing done and wouldn’t be able to fill up those around me. That balance is key to enjoying life and truly finding joy. A joy that comes with everything you do and is evident to everyone around you. Emptiness robs people of their joy; joy replaces emptiness. Your joy can fill your feelings of emptiness and can rub off on others so they feel less alone.
What fills your cup?
Christina Caldwell
Indiana FFA State Secretary
Wow. There is so much truth in this. We have to serve others from the overflow of our cups. Your work is better and you accomplish more when you aren't running on empty.
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