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.

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

JULY 2024 Newsletter: Your Journey to Wellness Starts Today

There are 8 dimensions of wellness. If we think of wellness as a journey towards the healthiest, best version of ourselves - focused on our mind, body, and soul, we can embark knowing that, as caregivers, when we're healthy, we provide better care to those we love.

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) defines wellness as "a broad approach for things individuals can do at their own pace, in their own time, and within their own abilities, that can help them feel better and live longer."

Wellness is also an essential component of RECOVERY. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines "recovery from mental disorders and/or substance use disorders as a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential."

SAMHSA has delineated four dimensions that support a life in recovery:

HEALTH - Overcoming or managing one's disease(s) or symptoms;
HOME - A stable and safe place to live;
PURPOSE - Meaningful daily activities, such as job, school, volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative endeavors, and the independence, income and resources to participate in society;
COMMUNITY - Relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.

According to SAMHSA, "Recovery emerges from hope: The belief that recovery is real provides the essential and motivating message of a better future—that people can and do overcome the internal and external challenges, barriers, and obstacles that confront them. Hope is internalized and can be fostered by peers, families, providers, allies, and others. Hope is the catalyst of the recovery process."

While we see ourselves in the caregiver burnout prevention business - empowering caregivers to better cope and manage the stress of caregiving - we know that our work falls solidly in the area of RECOVERY.

Recovery IS possible. Both for our loved ones AND ourselves. Recovery isn't linear - it's a journey - with all the twists and turns that life brings. Recovery as a caregiver involves focusing on OUR health and wellness, too. If we don't take care of ourselves - sleep, movement, hydration and nutrition, as well as our mental health - how can we possibly care for someone else?

Check out our entire July newsletter focused on WELLNESS here.

Move for Yourself and for Others

To introduce this week’s topic, move with courage, I want you to answer this question honestly: Are you in your best shape (whatever that may look like for you)? If not, have you considered that being out of shape may not only be keeping you from achieving your goals but might also be affecting the quality of care that you’re giving your loved one?

I know those are difficult questions, but we all need to face them. Amidst all of our daily responsibilities, we may tell ourselves that our personal health is a lower priority than other goals. Yet, when we realize that our personal health plays a role in our ability to fulfill all those other responsibilities, it’s easier to commit to staying active and being the best version of ourselves that we can be.

WellnessKristi HornerJuly 11, 2024Movement, Move Your Body, Move With Courage

JULY 2023 Newsletter: Wellness is Possible With Practice

"Wellness is about how we live our lives and the joy and fulfillment and health we experience." ~ SAMHSA, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, "Creating a Healthier Life - A Step-by-Step Guide to Wellness."

With our focus on creating sustainable PRACTICES, we can look at WELLNESS as a state of BEING. By creating healthy habits, we set ourselves up for sustainable wellness.

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease.” ~ World Health Organization

5 TOOLS TO IMPROVE YOUR WELLNESS:

Inspired by 9 Tested Tips to Improve Your Wellbeing and Quality of Life by John Adams, The Wellbeing Project

FOCUS ON THE FAB 3: Sleep - nutrition - movement. Get enough sleep (6-8 hours is recommended). Eat healthy, balanced meals & stay hydrated. Move your body ... more!
MANAGE YOUR STRESS: Learning how to cope and manage stressors is essential. NOTICE what causes you stress; where do you hold stress? ... BREATHE ... How do you cope and manage stressful situations?
STAY CONNECTED: Social isolation has been found to be as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day! Find ways to connect daily with others: family - friends - neighbors - colleagues - support groups! Start a conversation in the checkout line at the grocery. Smile at a stranger. A short call - FaceTime - Zoom - all provide human connection.
BE PRESENT: BREATHE. You're doing the best you can with what you have in this moment. Remember, caregiving is a JOURNEY. Do your best to be fully present in your wellness journey, too. Where do you want to start? Set micro-goals that are SMART. Find an accountability partner. Then, don't forget to celebrate your successes as you progress!
AVOID THE BAD: Focus on all the GOOD you are doing for you, and work to avoid or limit the BAD for you: alcohol - smoking - drugs - sugar - caffeine.

At Courage to Caregivers we know that healthier, stronger caregivers provide healthier, stronger care to their loved ones, and in turn create healthier, stronger families.

Check out our entire July newsletter focused on Wellness here.

WellnessKristi HornerJuly 27, 2023Movement, Move Your Body, Self-Discipline, Sleep Hygiene, Sleep

Join the Movement!

"Change happens through movement and movement heals." ~ Joseph Pilates

Our topic this week is also a challenge: Move with Courage! Research continues to show that daily movement can benefit your mental AND your physical health. Anything from light stretching to moderate exercise to vigorous activity can do the trick. The key is to find activities you enjoy and to do them with people you like (or alone if you prefer).

I’m proof that movement heals. For much of my life, I went to the gym and attended aerobics classes regularly. But then, the unthinkable happened. I started feeling chronic pain and fatigue, and doctors and specialists could not figure out the cause. Determined to find something that didn’t cause more pain, I discovered Pilates. The gentle gliding (and compassion of my instructors) transformed me. The movement helped my body – and my attitude. I started feeling healthier, brighter, and stronger.

That’s why this week, and throughout the entire month of July, we’re challenging YOU to move any way you want – walk, run, bike, hike, swim, paddle, dance, wheel, garden, do Pilates, practice yoga, meditate – with our MOVE WITH COURAGE Micro-Challenge Calendar.

Wellness, Your Body is a TempleKristi HornerJuly 13, 2023Movement, Move Your Body

August Newsletter: Treat Your Body As a Temple - Nourish Your Mind-Body-Soul

We have spent most of this year talking about ways to nourish your soul, but it’s equally important to NOURISH YOUR BODY. Throughout August, we shared ways to NOURISH your body, develop a positive body IMAGE, MOVE your body, and REST your body with good sleep hygiene.

August is also National Wellness Month. At Courage to Caregivers, we're focused on supporting caregivers to make their health and well-being a priority ALL year LONG!

When we make deliberate choices to improve our physical and mental health, we are showing that we have worth and value. This exercise in validating the importance of our very existence is essential in building self-esteem ... it's also self-RESPECT.

Your body is a temple and deserves to be shown the highest form of respect and reverence. The result is increased life expectancy, fewer health issues, improved mental health, and more energy and enthusiasm.

Your body is also the essential component of your existence. You have two choices. Either treat it as dispensable and unimportant, resulting in disease and illness. Or treat it with respect by making an effort to fill it with healthy foods and liquids, to keep it strong through regular and consistent movement, and to recharge it with rest/sleep.

When you do something good for your body, it also is a gift to your brain and emotions. When your physical, emotional, and cognitive health are good, these are gifts to the people you love.

Check out the August newsletter focused on our theme of Your Body is a Temple here!

Be Playful, Break the Rules, and Just Move

We often hear from busy caregivers that finding time to exercise is often the biggest challenge. For me, it’s about prioritizing movement. When we have so many other priorities, it can be hard to fit movement into our day if we think of it as separate from everything else and one more thing that we “have to” do.

That’s why, as we explore this week’s topic of move your body, I want to share two articles from our friends at the American Institute of Stress that are great resources for busy caregivers.

Your Body is a TempleKristi HornerAugust 18, 2022Movement, Move Your Body

Your Mind and Spirit in Motion

There's no denying that moving our bodies benefits our physical health. It protects and strengthens our muscles and leads to better mobility, balance, and coordination. Movement also benefits our mental and spiritual health.

Your Body is a TempleKristi HornerAugust 19, 2021Move Your Body, Exercise, Movement