Here's a weird thought.

When I was a kid, nobody could talk to you unless they were in front of you or you were both at home near your phones.

The rest of the time people just expected you to be living life and waited happily till the next time you were free. https://twitter.com/ashley_alora/status/1296963430902108162

It was a weird thing to realize that now that people COULD contact you at any time, that you had been saddled with a new responsibility to be present for everyone you know at all times.

It was a huge societal shift that we all ran with but didn't really accommodate for.

Perpetual availability is exhausting and that's NORMAL.

Work used to end.
We used to have default alone time
We were once allowed to wind down

However now we constantly judge ourselves on our capacity to be attentive to every bit of incoming information and every need.

We are inundated with intimate knowledge of people's pain literally everywhere.

We are constantly exposed to issues that feel so close to us that we can't help but help.

But we don't have unlimited resources.

And we have to remember that.

We weren't made to handle all this.

Remember.

You can't fix it all.

You need rest too.

It's ok to retreat sometimes

It's ok to just say "No, I'd rather not"

Putting on your own mask first isn't a moral failing. It's a critical step.

Your wellness matters too.

You aren't beholden to everyone at all times