Morale

Morale... as defined by Wordnet = 'A state of individual psychological well-being based upon a sense of confidence and usefulness and purpose.'

And according to American Heritage Dictionary - 'The state of the spirits of a person or group as exhibited by confidence, cheerfulness, discipline, and willingness to perform assigned tasks.'

A period of low morale.

Recently picked up from a course - To break out of any negative, reinforcing loop (aka vicious cycle) and work towards win-win, one needs to diagnose and then address the root cause, rather than prescribe quick-fix medication to shoo away surface symptoms.

I am becoming increasingly resigned to the fact that the root cause lies outside of my circle of influence. And this acknowledgement has taken so long to set in mainly because of the stubborn refusal to:
- let injustice triump without a fight
- be a automatic, blanket cynic
- apply varnish and practise taiji

Each time a situation occurs, the morale gets chipped a little and one starts to question the purpose of all the time and effort. If empathy and affirmation isn't forthcoming, one draws from accumulated reserves of self-confidence, motivation and sense of purpose. But... even the hardest rocks disintegrates under the erosive action of abrasive waves over time.

There is an increasingly urgent need to break out of the vicious cycle at the point where one's circle of influence ends. As for the rest, I'd leave it to the Heavens, and the Karma mystic.