The Piggy Bank

Do you remember having a piggy bank as a kid? At some point each of us had some type of piggy bank, whether it was the iconic pink little pig, a Darth Vader head, soccer ball, or the like. We would take our pennies, nickels, dimes, and those sought-after quarters and squirrel them away.

Then, when money was needed for that item we had been saving for or an emergency came up the piggy bank would be emptied with the hopes that there was enough in there to cover. Man was it disappointing when there was not enough, but it was also very satisfying when there was. This concept is much like our wellness piggy bank. 

Life can be difficult and throw all sorts of challenges that can leave us feeling drained and weakened. When faced with critical incidents or difficult situations we will shake out what is in our wellness piggy bank in hopes we have the coping mechanism to cover. However, much like our piggy banks from our childhood it all weighs on what we have invested into the bank.

Too often in the first responder profession there are not enough resources in the wellness bank to cover critical incidents or the other stresses of life. We get into a habit of not making investments in our wellness piggy bank a priority. The result, insufficient funds and we overdraft. Moreover, we are left feeling defeated, overwhelmed, or even questioning decisions that have been made that ultimately impact the way we process critical incidents and interact with others. So, what can you do if this is you…

Prioritize you. Make sure you take time to invest in yourself. When you invest in yourself, you are making deposits into your wellness piggy bank. The more you deposit, the more you have to draw from.

So, prioritize you… 

·   Get an adequate about of sleep

·   Exercise

·   Learn and utilize breathing techniques

·   Focus and nurture your social support network

·   Learn new coping skills

·   Invest in your spiritual wellbeing

·   Talk with a culturally competent therapist

All of these are good strategies to put in your wellness bank. But, this has to be a priority in your life if you want to maintain a balanced life and have enough in the bank to cover the struggles of life.

It does not matter where you start, just start.