Working in a restaurant means spending shifts making sure others are happy smiling through the rush, calming frustrations, sometimes even playing therapist when a guest needs to vent. But by the end of the day, I’ll admit, it’s easy to feel like my own joy’s been picked apart, plate by plate.
I’ve got my creative outlets messing with sound design, getting lost in comics, arranging music but even those don’t always patch up the wear and tear. So I’m curious: for those of you who pour into others, what’s your way of refilling your own cup? Any small rituals or mindset shifts that help you reset when the emotional toll stacks up?