SEPTEMBER 2025 Newsletter: Tenacity - Finding the Strength To Persist Each Day

As caregivers, we know all too well how much life demands persistence. Whether we're trying to stay on top of all of our loved ones' appointments or managing our own stress and anxieties, we are constantly being pushed to keep going. It becomes easy to think of persistence, and therefore tenacity, as something that will bring us to a clear end point. However, tenacity, in it's simplest terms is "the determination to continue what you are doing" (Cambridge Dictionary).

Even though life is often unpredictable and at times overwhelming, tenacity can encourage us to keep doing the little and big things that get us by day-by-day. This month, we explored how we can adopt a "realistic optimist" mindset and practice healthy coping mechanisms. We have the tools within us to persist and we are not alone.

3 TOOLS TO DEVELOP TENACITY:

1) Embrace Adaptability and Flexibility - Change is a constant in life and while that may on the surface seem to contrast with tenacity, by embracing adaptability and flexibility, we can better navigate the challenges we encounter and find the creativity needed to keep moving forward.

2) Find Your Support Network - While sometimes we need independence to persist, at other times, a little help and encouragement from others may be what we need to keep going. Whether your support network is just a couple people or a large group, having others you can count on can give you the boost you need.

3) Cultivate a Positive Mindset - As we discussed this month, it's possible to be realistic and optimistic. By recognizing the negative aspects of life without becoming consumed by them, we can more accurately tackle the hurdles we face and move forward.

Check out our September newsletter focused on Tenacity here.

TenacityKristi HornerSeptember 25, 2025Persistence, Realistic Optimism, Optimism, Coping mechanisms, Coping

Use Healthy Coping Mechanisms to “Surf” Your Stress

"You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf." — Jon Kabat-Zinn

Caregiving often brings steady waves of stressors, emotional ups and downs, and unexpected changes that cannot always be controlled. But as this week’s quote implies, caregivers may not be able to eliminate these “waves,” but we can develop healthy coping mechanisms—such as mindfulness, problem-solving, and self-care—that help us “surf” through difficulties with greater balance and resilience. This mindset protects us against burnout by shifting our focus away from fighting the inevitable to skillfully navigating it.

TenacityKristi HornerSeptember 18, 2025Coping mechanisms, Coping

Make Optimism Part of Your Routine

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." — Helen Keller

For unpaid family caregivers, perhaps nothing plays a more important role than an optimistic mindset. It fuels our hope and belief that challenges can be managed, as well as our confidence, which leads us to take action and seek solutions. This combination helps prevent burnout by fostering resilience, persistence, and a sense of purpose—even during the most difficult times of caregiving.

TenacityKristi HornerSeptember 11, 2025Realistic Optimism

Practice Persistence Every Day

"Persistence is what makes the impossible possible, the possible likely, and the likely inevitable." — Robert Half

Caregiving and persistence go hand in hand. As this week’s quote illustrates, the steady, determined effort of caregivers can help them overcome challenges, sustain their own well-being, and continue providing compassionate support. It highlights the power of persistence in the face of ongoing challenges.

TenacityKristi HornerSeptember 4, 2025Persistence

AUGUST 2025 Newsletter: Advocacy - Finding Strength in One Another

“When enough people come together, then change will come and we can achieve almost anything. So instead of looking for hope — start creating it.” ~ Greta Thunberg

Think of the last time you collaborated with another person. What was the task at hand? Were you working on a huge project that needed more opinions and perspectives? Or were you just looking for gentle encouragement on a simple task? Whatever form the collaboration took, ADVOCACY most likely came in handy whether you were speaking up for yourself and your ideas or championing the needs of others.

According to the Missouri Foundation for Health, advocacy is “any action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a cause, supports or defends, or pleads on behalf of others.” As caregivers, we often find ourselves in advocate roles as we work to ensure our loved ones receive the care they need. In addition to advocating for our loved ones, we may also advocate for our own needs and for the needs of other caregivers.

The West Virginia University Health Science Center defines three different types of advocacy: self-advocacy, individual advocacy, and systems advocacy.

Self-advocacy relates to how we are able to communicate our own needs and defend our rights. We engage in self-advocacy when we understand our own needs, believe in ourselves, and communicate effectively with others.
Individual advocacy refers to when one or several people work together to protect the rights of another person. We become individual advocates when we nurture our support networks and speak up on behalf of our loved ones.
Systems Advocacy focuses on changing institutional policies, laws, and rules in order to protect groups of people. When we share our stories, join campaigns, and volunteer with dedicated advocacy groups, we are participating in systems advocacy.

Through advocacy, we are able to build relationships with others and be reminded of how connected we are to those around us. We do not have to go it alone. Instead, we can discover strength, community, and meaning. By finding hope and support in one another, we can heal and recover together.

Check out our entire August 2025 Newsletter focused on Advocacy here.

State Your Needs Assertively

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." – George Bernard Shaw

As caregivers, we often juggle complex emotional, medical, and logistical responsibilities. At such times, clear and honest communication is essential. Unspoken assumptions can lead to frustration, burnout, and conflict, and misunderstandings can arise if we just assume that others know what we need, even if we haven’t clearly expressed those needs. By effectively communicating, we can build understanding, reduce stress, and strengthen support within our caregiving relationships.

AdvocacyKristi HornerAugust 21, 2025Communication, Effective Communication

Managing Stress Is Within Your Power

AdvocacyKristi HornerAugust 14, 2025Stress, Understanding Stress, Managing Stress

Answering the Question: “How Can I Help?”

AdvocacyKristi HornerAugust 7, 2025Support Network

JULY 2025 Newsletter: Embracing Wholeness through Wellness

“But the real secret to lifelong good health is actually the opposite: Let your body take care of you.”

– Deepak Chopra

Wellness is all about our journey to become the best versions of ourselves! Through wellness, we embrace wholeness by taking a holistic view of our health. Whether it be through physical exercise, connecting with our friends and loved ones, or caring for our environment, we are taking steps toward our wellness.

You might be saying, "Wait, but I thought Courage to Caregivers was all about cultivating a growth mindset. How can we become the best versions of ourselves if we are always learning?" And you would be right to ask that question! Wellness is not a straight path forward. Often constructed as possessing at least six different dimensions (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental), wellness encourages us to take a multi-faceted and active approach to our health and wellbeing (Global Wellness Institute). As cliché as it may sound, wellness is about the journey, not just about the end goal.

3 TOOLS FOR STARTING YOUR WELLNESS JOURNEY

Slow Down and Focus - Resting is just as important--and at times even more important--than being active. By allowing ourselves time to recharge and reflect, we can more accurately see our areas of improvement and what steps we can take toward growth.
Don't Forget to Move Either - This month we discussed how moving with courage means moving with love for ourselves and our bodies. By taking care of our physical health, we can feel better, not just physically, but emotionally as well.
Remember to Breathe - If you've watched any of our breathing exercises, you know all about the power of the breath in shaping our physical and mental wellbeing. If you are looking for joy, try Laughter Breathing! Feeling anxious? Try Bellows Breath. Simply want to cool down? Sitali Breath may be for you.

Wellness when broken down into its various dimensions may feel overwhelming, but just keep in mind that every step you take in caring for your health and wellbeing matters. When we take care of our own bodies and minds, we learn how to care not just for ourselves, but for our loved ones and community as well. You got this!

Check out our entire July Newsletter focused on Wellness here.

Your Sanctuary Can Be Your Lifeline

“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” ~ Herman Hesse

For unpaid family caregivers, the home is often both the caregiving environment and the only place available for rest and recovery. So when that space becomes chaotic, emotionally charged, or overwhelming, caregivers can quickly move from compassion to exhaustion—and into burnout.

Creating a sanctuary and maintaining a peaceful atmosphere at home serves as a buffer against chronic stress and is vital, for many reasons:

The Environment Shapes the Mind. A peaceful space signals safety and calm to the nervous system. It helps reduce chronic stress and anxiety that fuel burnout.
Caregivers Deserve Spaces That Give Back. So much of caregiving is about giving—attention, time, effort, patience. A personal sanctuary is a space that gives something back to the caregiver: stillness, beauty, comfort, and a moment to breathe. It’s a daily reminder that “I matter, too.”
Peaceful Atmosphere = Emotional Regulation. When the home feels peaceful, caregivers are more likely to respond with calm, handle challenges with clarity, compassion, and creativity, and lower the emotional “temperature” for everyone in the home.
You Can’t Pour From an Empty Space. Your energy, patience, and compassion come from somewhere. A calm and nurturing environment helps restore your caregiving capacity, especially during long days with no clear endpoint.

WellnessKristi HornerJuly 24, 2025Sanctuary, Peaceful Atmosphere at Home

Refill Your Tank With Self-Discipline

“Motivation is a feeling. Self-discipline is a decision.”

For unpaid family caregivers, especially those facing caregiver burnout, understanding the difference between self-discipline and motivation is essential. These two forces influence how you show up for yourself when you're overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or feel that your tank is depleted.

Motivation is emotion-fueled energy. It is the internal desire or spark to do something because it feels meaningful, exciting, or urgent. It comes and goes based on energy levels, emotions, or external inspiration.

When you're physically exhausted or emotionally numb, motivation often disappears. That’s why it’s unreliable during burnout. If it’s hard to feel driven or hopeful, waiting for motivation can lead to doing nothing, which increases guilt and depletion.

Self-discipline is commitment in action—the ability to follow through on what matters, even when you don’t feel like it. It’s built on small habits, routines, and values—not emotion. For example, as a caregiver, you might think, “I take 10 minutes for myself each day, even if I don’t want to—because I know it helps me stay grounded.”

Self-discipline is your anchor when motivation fades. It helps us prioritize rest, movement, boundaries, or asking for help, even when these things are hard to do. It doesn't require you to feel ready—it just asks you to take the next small step.

WellnessKristi HornerJuly 17, 2025Self-Discipline, Motivation

Let Your Body Move

“A body in motion stays in motion. Keep moving.” ~ Attributed to Newton’s Law of Motion

Movement isn’t just “exercise.” It’s daily medicine for the mind and body. Whether it’s light exercise, stretching, walking, or dancing, movement is a powerful tool for unpaid family caregivers. It supports physical, emotional, and cognitive resilience, helping prevent burnout, depression, and chronic stress-related illness.

WellnessKristi HornerJuly 10, 2025Move With Courage, Movement, Move Your Body, Exercise

How to Build Resilience: Take a Rest

“Rest is not idle, not wasteful. Sometimes rest is the most productive thing you can do for your body and soul.” ~ Erica Layne

We all know how important sleep is to our overall wellness, but what about resting and refreshing? Our culture values “doing” over “resting.” Yet, as a caregiver, I know that if I don’t take time to rest – to renew my energy and motivation – I won’t have much left of me to care for others.

WellnessKristi HornerJuly 3, 2025Sleep, Sleep Hygiene, Rest

JUNE 2025 Newsletter: Empowerment - A Journey of BECOMING

“Just believe in yourself. Even if you don’t, pretend that you do, and at some point, you will.” ~ Venus Williams

What makes you feel empowered? EMPOWERMENT is one of Courage to Caregivers' core values. While we can't always remove the obstacles and stress we encounter in caregiving, empowerment allows us to recognize our skills and achievement in spite of the hurdles we face. According to the American Psychological Association, empowerment is “the promotion of the skills, knowledge, and confidence necessary to take greater control of one’s life.” When we feel empowered, we are able to acknowledge our strengths and abilities and then take action to support our needs.

As you might have heard us say before, empowerment is the process of BECOMING. It's the process of asking ourselves, "WHO do we want to become? WHAT do we want to achieve? WHEN are we taking action to accomplish our personal goals? WHY do we strive toward these goals?" By asking ourselves these questions, we can reflect on what motivates us and what larger goals we plan to achieve.

3 TOOLS FOR BECOMING EMPOWERED

Shift your mindset - Empowerment is all about taking control of your own life and this includes your mindset. As we discussed in May when we covered growth mindset, we have the ability to shift our thinking away from "I can't" to "I can learn."
Reflect on your values and goals - In order to know what you need, it's vital to take a moment to reflect on what you care about and how that relates to what you would like to become. What strengths do you have? Where would you like to grow?
Find your community - Caregiving can feel incredibly isolating at times. That's why finding a caring community that can support and cheer you on can be instrumental in lifting you up and empowering you to be your best self.

Check out the entire June Newsletter here.

Your Complaints May Be Telling You Something

"The things you complain about most often are indicators of where you need better boundaries." ~ Nedra Glover Tawwab, "Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself"

Here’s a confession from a reluctant caregiver (me): I’m a complainer. Or at least that’s how I FEEL right now. Yet, I also like to think of myself as “tuned in”—caring, aware, observant, kind, resilient, determined. I have realistic expectations, hold on to hope, and am realistically optimistic.

Nedra Tawwab’s quote has me reflecting on what all this could be telling me. It highlights a powerful truth: Frustration is often a signal, not just a feeling.

EmpowermentKristi HornerJune 19, 2025Boundaries, Healthy Boundaries

Holding Space, Without Limits

"I'm through accepting limits 'cause someone says they're so."

~Elphaba, Defying Gravity, Wicked

In preparing the social media for this week, I ran across a powerful blog by Heather Plett, from the Centre for Holding Space, "Holding Space and Defying Gravity (on feeling invisible and finding power)," and she inspired me to think about that powerful song from one of my favorite musicals, "Wicked," with regards to holding space for ourselves as caregivers.

The Elphaba quote from "Wicked" — "I'm through accepting limits 'cause someone says they're so." — powerfully reflects what it means for us as unpaid family caregivers to hold space for ourselves.

EmpowermentKristi HornerJune 12, 2025Holding Space For Yourself, Holding Space

Stuck on a Problem? Adopt a Creative Mindset.

“The most creative people are motivated by the grandest of problems that are presented before them.” ~ Neil deGrasse Tyson

If you’re a caregiver, you’re also a problem solver. But have you ever thought about how much you tap into your creativity when you solve those problems?

Using our creative abilities for problem-solving is especially important for unpaid family caregivers (or professional caregivers). Our roles often involve navigating complex, unpredictable, and emotionally charged situations with limited resources, so it helps to develop a mindset to come up with creative solutions.

MAY 2025 Newsletter: Growth Mindset - The Power to Believe in Ourselves

"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." - Maya Angelou

Failure can feel terrifying. We worry about the consequences. We struggle with managing our own and others' expectations. We stress over how our friends, family, and community may perceive us. When we have so many things to fear, it can feel easy to quit or not even try. In moments where we do fail or perceive ourselves as failing, the shame and guilt of it can hold us back further.

However, a GROWTH MINDSET reminds us of the possibility of learning and growing from our failures. Messing up does not have to be the end. We can make lessons out of our mistakes and find the strength to continue. With a growth mindset, perfection is not the goal. Fostering our belief in ourselves and our ability to learn is the objective.

3 TOOLS TO FOSTER A GROWTH MINDSET

Believe inYourself - You can't start learning if you don't believe in your capability to change and grow. How do you talk to yourself in your mind? Trade demeaning self-talk for self-compassionate words.
Making Mistakes Is Part of the Process - It's hard to learn if you are not willing to make the mistakes that teach you how you can grow. Mistakes can be lessons and they do not have to define you.
Be a Life-Long Learner - What piques your curiosity? Even everyday things like wondering how you can change your morning routine can lead to self-growth. Take the time to find what you are passionate about and learn!

Check out the entire May 2025 Newsletter here.

Recommit to Progress, Not Perfection

“Success is not the absence of failure; it’s the persistence through failure.” – Aisha Tyler

Life is unpredictable—especially for unpaid family caregivers. Sometimes, we have to revisit our intentions and adjust our goals realistically. This allows us to celebrate our progress (even if it's imperfect) and stay motivated through changing circumstances. It’s also a chance to reflect on what still matters to us and to move forward with renewed purpose, instead of letting the momentum fade.

Shine Your Light, and Watch Shame Subside

"The difference between shame and guilt is the difference between ‘I am bad’ and ‘I did something bad.’ " ~ Brené Brown

With all of the demands you have on your time and attention as a caregiver, have you ever felt as if what you do is never ENOUGH? Thoughts like that can lead to shame. Shame is internal, personal, and tied to our identity. Guilt, on the other hand, stems from actions, not identity.

Growth MindsetKristi HornerMay 15, 2025Guilt, Shame