It’s Time to Fill Your Bucket

Have you heard that saying if you don’t fill your own bucket, you can’t help others?

Another one is you can’t pour from an empty cup.

I am in a caring role and am giving out a lot as a primary school Chaplain.

Last year was a difficult year, it was probably the most difficult year I have had as a Chaplain.

In October I will be celebrating 12 years as a Chaplain.

Yeah! I love what I get to do.

Last year was full on I had COVID which took me about a good six weeks to recover. I had very little energy.

Then there were two critical incidents that happened in about the space of 4 months apart.

I didn’t realise that I had gone into a pit, not a real one and an emotional one.

I had long service leave this year in February and I just crashed.

Life felt heavy, sad and dark.

It felt like a storm was coming and setting in for the next few months.

I didn’t see it coming, it blindsided me, it took me off guard.

It took my breath away, it took my joy away, I felt like I had been punched in the stomach and I was struggling to get my breath back.

I remember sitting on my couch, crying and thinking this is not what I had planned for my long service leave.

I did not have on my to-do list-

I didn’t want to be creative, write, sing, or enjoy my life.

Slowly the storm clouds broke and I could see a glimmer of sunlight trying to cut through the darkness.

It didn’t happen overnight, it took effort, it took reaching out and asking for help.

Which just saying for me, is a huge thing.

It took prayer.

I decided as you may have known that this year is all about self-care.

It is about me doing things that fill my bucket.

When I went back to work, I was having a discussion with a friend, she said your bucket wasn’t very full last year.

I said a bucket, I just had a handle.

We laughed until we were crying with laughter.

It was so good to laugh, it was so good to have joy back.

This year I am making self-care a priority, to fill my bucket.

What are you making a priority this year, to fill your bucket?

Would love to hear from you.

Much love

Tracey