Dear Dedicated and Aspiring Child Life Professional,
I know there are days when you close the door of yet another room feeling defeated. That intervention didn’t go as you hoped. The child is still crying, the parents are reeling, the staff is disappointed that you couldn’t do more.
Dear child life professional, I see your dedication. I see the way you give it your all. You show up to work, ready to make a difference. This profession is your passion. You seek to be a support to the most vulnerable, to sit in the hurt with these patients and families.
Are you feeling burned out? You are tired. You are drained.
It is hard to give so much when you receive so little appreciation in return. It pains you to hear of another diagnosis, another relapse, another abuse, another death. How much more suffering could there possibly be? Who is next? Maybe if you disconnect you won’t feel this pain…
Perhaps, you also feel lonely. Sure, you have a wonderful team. But at the end of the day, does anyone REALLY understand the work that you alone put forward? You exert so much effort that goes unnoticed. The temptation to become bitter, territorial and protective is real. You even might be questioning how vital you are to the team. Do you wonder if you are replaceable?
Dear child life student,
I see you too – your dedication, your passion. I see the way you strive so hard to write that paper and put forth your best work. Again. And again. And again.
I see the way it all piles up. It is exhausting being the best version of yourself 100% of the time, isn’t it? To feel like every email, every phone call, every interaction is being judged and measured. But are you good enough? Are you ready? The insecurity can creep through. The competition and the comparison to others around you can become so loud.
I see the way you are faithful and meticulous in your applications. I know how deeply you want this. You feel like your life rides on this opportunity, this practicum, this internship. Let me clue you in on a little secret: it doesn’t. You are enough.
“Your worth is not determined by how this patient responds to your presence, but rather, it is unchallenged because you are loved no matter what.”
Child life professional, I see when you feel overcome with insecurity of if you will ever be able to do enough. Let me clue you in on a secret: you won’t ever be able to do enough. You are imperfect. You have weakness and vulnerabilities.
But, oh dear child life professional, you are enough.
You are enough.
You are enough.
You are valuable just as you are. You serve a unique role that only you can fill. No one else possesses your heart and distinct skills. You are not defined by this internship, but by the truth about you. Your worth is not determined by how this patient responds to your presence, but rather, it is unchallenged because you are loved no matter what. What is in your control? Your effort and your attitude. Strive for excellence and integrity. Choose courage. Have character. Have hope.
Don’t lose heart in the face of adversity. Recognize that hard things are oftentimes the experiences that shape you the most and deepen your character and strength. Don’t run from the discomfort. Dig in. Be brave. Be confident in who you are.
Allow comparison to be something that builds you up. Be sharpened by your role models. Affirm the talents you see in others. Admit when you notice you need help. This journey isn’t meant to be walked alone.
This profession, as much as it is your passion, is not your identity. There is so much more to you than your chart notes, your preparation tools, your personality. You have been carefully designed with many purposes and you can serve in ways that no one else can. There is no one perfect way to be a child life professional, but there are a million ways to be a great one.
So, dear dedicated and aspiring child life professional, hold tightly to truth. Stop striving for perfection, and instead settle in to being you and giving your best. You are enough.