Wouldn't it be great if we could fix everything all by ourselves? But, that isn't possible. All we can do is one small thing at a time. Yes, focus on what is in front of you. Respond to it in the best manner possible. One step at a time. Then you can feel you accomplished something. And that is what matters the most.

Arfie, you have always answered my posts and many others here with such wisdom and caring. I know you always take on the weight of the world. It is ok to take a break, turn off the rest of the problems and focus on your own well-being. It sounds like you need your batteries recharged a for a bit.

You are an amazingly intelligent person with so much to offer the world and I bet you have a lot of people who count on your for that wisdom and selfless caring. In answer to your question, yes I think you should focus on whatever is in front of you. I think you should also focus on you and what makes you happy and content for a bit also.

I always love to read your posts. They are so on the mark and so in depth.

Take care and know I am in your corner.

Arfie,

Outer-focused activism is a relief. It puts one's own sh** in the background.

I have had "nurturer/ teacher/helper/mentor-itis for decades. Helping makes me feel so good and allows me to not think much about how lost I actually am

Don't know if this has been part of your "Arfie Saves The World" quest. Heaven knows the world needs saving; but we can actually accomplish more in the long haul if we're not ourselves teetering on the edge.

Arfie- I love the way you word things. I'd say the "aha" moments caused by that save more people than you will ever know.

Letitbe3 is onto something: saving others can be a way to bypass our own stuff. It can also be a way to feel stronger in yourself (to fight against the ways trauma makes us feel helpless).

When the helping/caring itself starts to weaken you, it is time to recharge as CrazyCanuk said.

Try to see if you can switch the focus from what you can't seem to help to places your help has taken root. Remember that some of that is unseen because the self that you put out into the world, your words and ideas help people in ways you may never directly know.

letitbe nailed it again, I think, arfie. I knew what she says going into being a hospital chaplain at mid-life after years of therapy for my PTSD. There'd be that temptation to "rescue" others and not keep dealing with my own stuff. Glad I did it for 10 years, but it's also fitting for it to end and for now to be a time of reflection and learning. Lucky to have you and your great posts here now for that. Mujica

Blessings on your new venture, 51%!