So my job is in the medical field. And I very seldom have to do actual medical things

Today I got to spend time looking at a new technology in an emergency room.
Nobody wants to go to an emergency room. Well that’s not true some people do. Some people work there

Today I worked there

A woman came in and maybe she had a stroke. Her family was there and they were worried about her. She was a little worried about herself too

I was so worried about her and her family. When she described her symptoms I started to wonder if I was having those symptoms. I thought oh this is me having an empathic reaction

I realized I could do nothing to help these people. Other people were doing everything to help them. I asked myself “is my empathy helping these people? ”

No it was not.

So I decided to stop. That feeling was not necessary and in fact it was hurting me

I may use that question in other areas of my life