HEARTS LARGER THAN HANDS: Keeping Joy, Peace of Mind and Fulfillment in Your Life with Animals

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HEARTS LARGER THAN HANDSKeeping Joy, Peace
of Mind and Fulfillment in Your Life with Animals

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Self-Assessment Tools

• Is your heart overflowing?
• Are your hands overloaded?

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The Animal Lovers Personality Our Own
I.R.S.

• Idealism values and beliefs and passion
• Realism your hands-on experience with
  animals
• and the facts that
  you must face
• 
  
  
• Sensitivity intensity of feelings regarding
  animals

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It is inevitable.

• The nature of our social environment presents
  challenges to who we are
• Work overload
• Lack of control
• Insufficient reward
• Breakdown of Community
• Absence of Fairness
• Conflicting Values

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Signs of Burnout
I. Feelings of Low Personal
Accomplishment "I have not accomplished any
worthwhile things while doing this work. "I do
not deal effectively with problems that come up."
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Signs of Burnout
Emotional Exhaustion I feel emotionally
drained from my work. "I feel fatigued when I
get up in the morning and have to face another
day."
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Signs of Burnout
III. Depersonalization (negativity) I've become
more callous to people since I started this
work."   I worry that this work is hardening
me emotionally."   
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Then what?

• Emotional and physical well-being deteriorates
• Personal and family life suffer
• We may decide to leave the field completely
• The message this gives to others are this is no
  fun
• It puts stress on pets and the animals

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Identifying your Challenges

• Right now, think about what is the most difficult
  for you in your life as an animal activist.
• Keep it in mind when exploring ways to survive
  and thrive!

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Seven Strategies to Survive and Thrive!

• 1. EMBRACE A NEW PERSPECTIVE

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REMEMBER YOU ARE ONLY ONE PART OF A MUCH BIGGER
PICTURE
YOU ARE HERE.

• We are all a small but valuable step toward a
  greater vision for the animals and a kinder world
  for all living creatures on earth.

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Recognize that you did not create the
problem, and are not the only one responsible
to fix it.

• Empower and Educate others Encourage them to
  Stretch
• Rather than taking away their problem, offer
  options and tools they need so they can help the
  animals.
• They dont need to hand the animal over to an
  organization

• Provide literature,websites (for example, how to
  care for feral cats or find homes for pets)
• Offer referrals to other services and groups.

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STAY CONNECTED TO ALL THOSE THAT MAKE UP THE
BIGGER PICTURE
Receive emotional and practical support from
others who work with the animals

• Share ideas and resources
• Work together support each other
• Check out online forums, chat rooms, community
  networks, Best friends network, and e-mail
  groups.

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2. SET LIMITS

• Recognize your strengths and weaknesses your
  needs for sanity.
• Then set limits even when they do not feel
  natural to you.
• Loving animals is 24 -7 for the rest of your
  life so you must pace yourself. SLOW DOWN!

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3. ACCEPT THE STRUGGLES THEY ARE A NATURAL PART
OF THE VISION

• Accept your feelings. They will include guilt,
  sadness, frustration and anger. It is not easy.
• Accept the connection between joy and sorrow. If
  you try to avoid the sadness and the challenges,
  you will also limit your capacity for intense joy
  and fulfillment.

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4. FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE
Keep encouraging stories and positive people
handy!

• Look to the stories of animals that have been
  helped and the positive changes everywhere.
• Make reminders of your own experiences with
  animals you have helped.
• Instead of the if only -Focus on what went well
  and worked out what is going right.

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DECIDE THAT YOU CAN AND WILL LEAD A HAPPY LIFE

• Many persons have a wrong idea of what
  constitutes true happiness. It is not attained
  through self-gratification but through fidelity
  to a worthy purpose.
• Helen Keller

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5. LET GO !

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LET GO! OF THE CONTROL

• Let your journey unfold in its own way and time.
  
• Accept where others are on their journeys. Let
  go of the need to change them

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LET GO! OF SELF IMPORTANCE

• I am the only one who can do this right.
• I am the one with whom this animal wants to
  live.
• Our rescue group is the only one who will treat
  this animal right.

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LET GO! OF THE WHAT IFS and IF ONLYS

• We do the best we can with what we knew at the
  time and what we could handle.
• Dont obsess or overcompensate let it go!

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LET GO!

• Of the animals. Do your part in their journey
  and then let them go.
• Let others help let others share in the joy, let
  others love them.

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LET GO!

• Let go of the past and the worries for the future
  
• Live NOW and approach each experience with
  accepting what is, being who you are, and
  enjoying the gifts in the present moment.

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6. TAKE CARE OF YOU! The Natural Flow of Giving

• To and from the heart
• Its always flowing
• The gifts of giving replenish the hearts
  capacity to give
• Even in the most difficult situations
• Taking care of self maintains our part of the
  natural flow

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SELF-NURTURING FOR BODY, MIND AND SOUL
What comforts you?
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7. BE OPEN TO THE GIFTS OF THE JOURNEY
They include An increased capacity to love, to
bond, to give, and to let go
Remember YOU WERE BLESSED! Your friend lives in
your heart and in the changed person that you now
are -- forever!
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GIFTS OF THE JOURNEY

• Unique connection with animals and unlimited
  lessons from each one

What gifts have you been given?
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GIFTS OF THE JOURNEY

• Unique kinship with other animal people

When it seems that our sorrow is too great to be
borne, let us think of the great family of the
heavy-hearted into which our grief has given us
entrance, and inevitably, we will feel about us,
their arms and their understanding
Helen Keller
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GIFTS OF THE JOURNEY

• Personal Growth and strength Prepares us to
  continue to meet lifes growing challenges
  throughout all of life

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• Courage does not always roar.
• Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end
  of the day saying,
• I will try again tomorrow
• 
  
• 
  mary
  anne radmacher

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GIFTS OF THE JOURNEY

• Spiritual Growth and
• Awakening

every living being plays a part in a greater
purpose living your calling
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Looking back at the unfolding of your journey
how the pieces fit together
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GIFTS OF THE JOURNEY

• Opening ourselves to the Awe and the Mystery of
  it ALL!
• Appreciating the journey itself. Some of it might
  become clear later in our lives (or not) -- the
  signs, the synchronicity

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How to Embrace the Journey by Felix the Cat
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Felix took care of himself
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Felix accepted his new journey at age 20

• Full body hugs and wet sneezes
• Welcoming clients
• Promoting peace among the other feline residents

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His gifts and purpose unfolded

• Spread love and laughter everyday
• Showed others the wisdom and joy of senior cats
• Was able to go with the flow

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A Final Lesson from Felix about trusting the
Greater Vision.