The First Rule Of Rescue And Working For Your Passion

Three summers ago, I packed up my life as I knew it in San Francisco and dove into the deep end of the pool: I headed out to Lotus, California to spend the summer learning to be a whitewater raft guide. I did this with an amazing nonprofit organization called Environmental Traveling Companions whose mission is to make outdoor adventures accessible to people with special needs.

In the Swiftwater Rescue Training, we were regaled with story after story from the collective history of humans and water where someone (Person A) would fall into the water, and someone else (Person B) would panic and jump in to the rescue. Sadly, most of these tales end in tragic death -- not of person A, but with surprising frequency of Person B, the would-be rescuer.

The first rule of rescue is Save Yourself First. The moral of the story is you can’t rescue anyone else if you’re dead and you’re not helping the rescue effort by flinging yourself over the rail and becoming another victim.

Why this swim down memory lane?

Well, it’s a metaphor. Many of us do the equivalent of diving in without regard to our own safety when it comes to working for social change or for causes we believe in. Don’t get me wrong: there is absolutely a time and place for taking substantial risks. But the point is to make those intentional and calculated choices, instead of careless risks that hinder us rather than help us make the change we wish to create.

Treading Water or Drowning?
At one point, when I was working at a nonprofit in whose missio
I passionately believed, I was getting up early, going to work, skipping lunch, staying late, going home, passing out, and doing it over again – day in and day out. And I wasn’t even the hardest worker there. For me, this pattern of neglecting my needs certainly contributed to a feeling of burn out, and ultimately made me less effective tha
I might otherwise have been. I was so busy looking at the guy flailing in the water, I didn’t make sure my own PFD (life vest) was on securely before I dove in.

So what about you? What are the ways you’re skipping the “Care and Feeding” pages in your manual? The following are some signs that may flag the need for self-rescue practice.
• Do you wake feeling anxious?
• How often are you “forgetting” to take your lunch break?
• Does all your work feel urgent?
• Do you feel exhausted or spent at the end of most workdays?
• Are you living for the weekend?
• What weekend?

Practicing Self-Rescue
If your answers to these questions have you shaking your head in despair, don’t give up yet. The best part of identifying a challenge is knowing that progress is possible. By focusing on the smallest changes you can imagine, you can often make some of the biggest changes of your life. These suggestions are offered to help you live the life you would rather be living.

Lean on Me. Many of us are surrounded by people who would love to offer their support to us. When we’re staring at the mission we’re working toward, we rarely look around to see who is looking at us. So stop and look around. Who in your life might be available to offer you support and care?

Smoke. Just kidding. Don’t start smoking; just start taking smoke breaks. It’s one small step to put a little breathing room in your day. The place won’t fall apart because you stepped out for 5 minutes. If actual fresh air is too drastic a change, try a little alone time in the bathroom to picture a beach in the tropics or your favorite landscape.

Buddy System. Get a friend to brainstorm with you and pick two small, doable things you could do differently. Have your buddy hold you accountable: you can formulate it as a bet (for the competitive folks) or as a reward system (for the more affection-oriented folks) or whatever will be motivating for you. Come up with a definite timeline for checking in and have clearly defined goals. Then watch your life change.

Call for Help. Sometimes we all need more than just our own internal resources. Depending on your situation, consider hiring a professional coach, a personal trainer, a nutritionist, a therapist, or whatever professional will be best able to support your needs. While your financial situation may impact your ability to work with some professionals, others offer services on a sliding scale.

Ultimately, these small changes can help reinvigorate you and create a more sustainable workstyle. And after all, a stronger, more energized you is your greatest gift to your cause.