Self-care vs caring for the world - How to balance it?

## About the Gathering

We give a lot. To our work, our causes, the people around us. And somewhere in the middle of all that giving, a question might surface now and again: what about me?

It can feel almost shameful to ask it. Like stepping back from the world's needs to tend to your own is a luxury you haven't earned — or worse, a betrayal of everything you care about.

But what if the either/or is the problem? What if the way you care for the world and the way you care for yourself aren't in competition — but deeply, necessarily connected?

This gathering is for anyone who has felt the tension between their own needs and the pull of something larger. We'll explore what it actually means to sustain yourself, why the boundary between self-care and service is blurrier than we think, and what it might look like to stop choosing between the two.

A space for honest conversation — held with warmth, without judgement, and without easy answers.

These gatherings are held once a month.

## What to Expect

• Arriving together
We’ll briefly share names and how we’re arriving.
• A short introductory talk (approx. 15 minutes)
On why so many of us carry unspoken grief, tension, or fear about the state of the world — and how being with these feelings in community can be strengthening rather than overwhelming. I draw on the work of teachers like Joanna Macy, Francis Weller, and Tara Brach, as well as my experience as a coach supporting people working for social and environmental change.
• A simple grounding exercise
A short guided meditation to help us settle - or we might do this during / at the end).
• Small-group sharing (2–3 people)
Using simple prompts, we’ll explore together.
• Group sharing
You’re welcome to share — or to listen quietly. Both are equally valid.

Tone of the space
This is not a space for despair spirals or endless venting — but it’s also not a place where anyone will try to cheer you up, minimise your feelings, or rush you toward solutions. We’ll practise being with what’s real, together, in a way that respects everyone’s capacity and boundaries.

## Practical Details

Duration: 2 hours (including settling in)
Group size: 15 people
Refreshments:
☕ Coffee and tea will be available.
Afterwards:
You're warmly invited to join for drinks/food at the Bridgend Café

## Who this is for

• People who carry worries about the state of the world
• Anyone longing for honest conversation and gentle connection
• Activists, carers, coaches, healers — and those who don’t fit any label at all
You don’t need to be “doing enough.” You don’t need to have answers. You’re welcome as you are.

## Contribution

£5 to help cover the venue, refreshments, and Meetup organisation costs.

Cash preferred, or you can pay by transfer on the day (via QR code).

## Location

📍 Bridgend Farm, Edinburgh
More details will be shared upon registration.

## GOLDEN RULES

As discussed in our first gathering, these help create a space of trust and care. I’ll repeat and expand on them during the session.

#1 — Listen with silence - no interrupting or commentary
#2 — Let people have their experience - No consoling or advising
#3 — Speak from the personal - no preaching or prescribing

For those interested you can find more about me on my website: **www.impactsweetspot.com**