What is the definition of the word loyal? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary the word loyal means to be unswerving in allegiance: such as a: faithful in allegiance to one’s lawful sovereign or government and b: faithful to a private person to whom faithfulness is due.
Can burnout occur from an individual providing loyalty to someone or something? The definition of unswerving according to Merriam-Webster dictionary is unfaltering, steady, not turning a side.
There are times in an individual’s life when he/she will have to choose to take care of others or be kind to him/herself. If an individual is a believer in being loyal to another individual before considering needs or wants to implement self-care, then that individual is gathering burnout symptoms quickly if there is no balance of self-care. It is okay to be supportive of a friend or a family member and also provide selfcare. Not many individuals are born into the world attached to someone or something that the individual has to be loyal to provide care.
If someone is demanding that an individual be loyal to whatever that individual wants and needs, then it is time to question “is the relationship healthy?” Every individual has free will when he/she becomes an adult to balance support for him/herself/ and others. It is not healthy to forgo self-care for personal or professional goals to keep a family member, friend, or boss/manager happy while slowly pushing down feelings of not being appreciated or important.
Be loyal to yourself and appreciate your gifts and talents know that you are important to the happiness you seek!
Voices of Burnout (VOB) 