Chapter 42 - The New Generation of AdvocatesBack at the county department, my executive role had expanded to include mentoring young social workers and administrative interns entering the public service sector. It was a responsibility I took deeply to heart. I remembered what it felt like to be overworked, undervalued, and trapped beneath the heavy machinery of institutional and familial expectations.
On a busy Wednesday afternoon, I was conducting a mentorship workshop in the conference room for a dozen new county interns. Among them was a brilliant, articulate young woman named Maya, who reminded me startlingly of myself ten years prior—overqualified, fiercely dedicated, but hesitant to set firm professional boundaries for fear of disappointing her superiors.
After the workshop concluded, Maya lingered by the doorway, shifting her briefing folder nervously between her hands.
"Ms. Bennett?" Maya asked hesitantly. "Do you have a quick second?"
"Of course, Maya. Come on in," I smiled, gesturing to the chair opposite my desk. "What's on your mind?"
"I... well, I’ve been staying late every night for the past three weeks, handling extra intake files and coordinating emergency housing placements for my peers because they fell behind," Maya admitted, her voice dropping apologetically. "My supervisor praised my work ethic, but honestly, I'm completely exhausted, and I missed my sister's birthday dinner last night because I was stuck clearing out someone else's backlog."
I looked at Maya, recognizing the familiar trap of over-functioning and mistaking martyrdom for value. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk.
"Maya, let me tell you something I wish someone had told me a decade ago," I said gently, my voice firm and clear. "In public service—and in life—people will take as much as you are willing to give. If you teach them that your labor is infinite and free, they will never learn to value your well-being."
Maya blinked, processing the words. "So... setting boundaries makes me selfish?"
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"No," I corrected instantly, shaking my head. "Setting boundaries makes you sustainable. You cannot pour from an empty cup, Maya. You are not responsible for carrying everyone else's weight to prove your worth. Your value is inherent. You earned your place here because you are brilliant and capable—not because you sacrifice your health and your life for everyone else's incompetence."
Maya's eyes welled with tears of profound relief, mirroring the exact emotional release I had felt years ago when I finally realized I didn't owe my servitude to anyone. "Thank you, Ms. Bennett. I needed to hear that more than you know."
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