Friday, August 24, 2012

Wonder Woman complex

Do you, like me, have a Wonder Woman costume hanging nearby, ready to grab at any moment? (Or perhaps you're one of the fortunate women who's not plagued with that desire to help and rescue—to caretake everyone around you.)

Yesterday I mentioned that I have a lot on my plate right now. In some of the situations with which I'm dealing, I am so tempted to grab that W.W. costume off my rack, suit up and fly into action. I'm trying very hard to just detach from outcomes and do only what is mine to do, not what is appropriately someone else's. Ever been there?

We women tend to carry lots of responsibility for the well-being of those we love—and sometimes, it seems, for the entire world! It gets pretty heavy. And truth be told, we can barely make the changes we need to make as individuals, much less help others with theirs. It doesn't stop us from trying, though, does it? And when I say this, I don't mean that we don't do the care giving that's appropriate, for example, of our young children or of aging parents. I'm talking about all the other rescuing and over-functioning I do, and perhaps you do, too.

Today I'm thinking that perhaps I should just bury that Wonder Woman costume. Maybe it's time to let go of some responsibility. What do you think? I'd love to hear what you do when you find yourself trying to "save the world."


2 comments:

  1. It's so easy to put on that W.W. costume, though, isn't it? We feel so good when we can make a difference in someone's life. And sometimes we can. But sometimes we just need to step back a tad and let the one we care about have the pleasure (and responsibility) of sorting through and doing it on his/her own. We can always cheer from the sidelines!
    Cheryl

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  2. "Cheer from the sidelines." That's a great image, Cheryl. I like that.

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