If you’ve been following us for a while, you’ve probably heard us mention what we call the “Seven C’s” of caregiving – “I didn’t CAUSE it; I can’t CURE it; I can’t CONTROL it; I can’t CHANGE it; yet, I can have COURAGE and COMPASSION; and I can COPE!”
Read More“Optimism is not a denial of the current state. It’s a belief that the future is bright,
but it accepts current darkness.” – Simon Sinek
As we focus on attitudes this month, we need to be aware that the way we view problems and achieve growth is strongly impacted by the way we look at the world. This week’s theme – realistic optimism – is one way we can look at the challenges of the present and the potential of the future to help us solve our personal problems, learn from our mistakes, and build on our opportunities for growth. In other words, it allows us to be resilient.
Read MoreAs I reflected on this week’s topic of persistence, it reminded me of Aesop’s fable about the tortoise and the hare. The standard moral of the story is that the race is not always won by the swiftest. The tortoise’s persistence was so strong that he was able to win the race despite the overwhelming odds against him. And the hare was so overconfident that he allowed himself to be sidetracked by taking a nap, eventually waking up to find that he was too far behind to catch up.
The tortoise proved his point, that slow and steady can win the race, and that he can get along just fine, thank you, with his own set of skills. Yet maybe the hare was a winner here, too. Maybe the failure of losing this race taught the hare a much more valuable lesson about the virtues of being persistent and the dangers of being too proud and confident.
And … maybe the hare just needed to take some time out for a little self-care. Maybe he was tired from all that running around and needed to take a nap. Maybe he felt so good after getting some much-needed rest that he realized losing one little race was not that big of a deal.
Read MoreWe 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!
Read MoreIt’s one of the most common problems there is … not getting enough sleep. Maybe we’re trying to pack too many waking hours into our busy days at the expense of sleep, or maybe too much stress is keeping us from turning our brains “off” at night. Whatever the reason, lack of sleep not only can keep us from operating at peak performance, but it can also have a negative impact on our physical and mental health.
Read MoreWe 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.
Read MoreThe ability to accept our bodies as they are and identify the qualities and strengths that we possess, instead of trying to change our bodies to fit the expectations of society, is a way to build our self-esteem. Your body is an incredible machine, capable of sustaining life and completing complex tasks every minute. When you stop all the self-criticism, shame, and judgment once and for all, you will find that YOU can do magic!
Read MoreAt Courage to Caregivers, we’re focused on holistic wellness – supporting the WHOLE YOU in your journey of health and well-being as a caregiver for someone with mental illness. And so, a lot of what we talk about involves our feelings, our emotions, and our soul. But we must remember to take care of the body, too. Our physical health is just as important as our mental and emotional well-being as we strive for holistic wellness. Everything we do affects all three of these types of well-being, and the way we care for one of them affects the other two.
Read MoreGrowing is hard. It’s difficult to unlearn the habits, thoughts, and feelings that you’ve learned and taken on throughout your life.
Is there an aspect in your life that you want to improve upon? Maybe it’s getting out and playing more, maybe it’s remembering to set your phone down and be present in the world, or maybe it’s just wanting to learn more about yourself and others. Maybe it’s setting a sleep schedule, trying new foods and mindfully eating, or moving your body in a way that’s fun for you.
When you know that “You Have the Power to Grow,” you can do anything. Accepting different perspectives becomes a little easier, understanding different backgrounds and experiences is easier, and gaining knowledge and understanding becomes easier. July is also Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Awareness Month, and these communities can face unique struggles. By understanding the unique struggles that BIPOC individuals face, we can expand our worldview to better support BIPOC communities. Having the power to grow can mean that you’re ready and willing to change the way that you see the world and how you navigate the world. However you choose to grow, just know that we support you and your journey towards becoming the best version of yourself (that you desire).
Check out the July Newsletter focused on YOU HAVE THE POWER TO GROW here.
Read MoreWriter Diane Ackerman had this to say about this week’s topic: “Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.”
Unfortunately, we adults too often get so immersed in our responsibilities that we forget the value of play. As children, we learned through play, and we grew through play. It wasn’t just fun and entertainment. Through play, children learn how to use their imaginations, cooperate with others, achieve goals, and much more. There’s no reason why that has to stop after we grow up. And that’s why we chose “play” as one of the topics for this month’s theme of “You Have the Power to Grow.”
Read MoreAs writer Anne Lamott said, “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” So if you’d like to unplug right now to recharge and reconnect, by all means, do so! Maybe you can take this opportunity to participate in our Move With Courage challenge, which encourages movement of ANY kind, to help all of us improve our physical and mental health.
And after that, when you reconnect, you’ll find that everything is still working, including us … for YOU.
Read MoreIt’s July, and not only do we have a new theme for the month – “You Have the Power to Grow” – but we’re also “off and running” with our first-ever nationwide virtual fundraising event, Move With Courage. Maybe our challenge to encourage movement of ANY kind, to help you improve your physical and mental health, will give you some extra motivation and self-discipline, which happens to be our topic for this week.
Read MoreEmpowerment is a "form of strength that stems from the self and community." It's also a process of BECOMING. Becoming stronger, and more confident.
Empowerment is important for ourselves - self-empowerment and OTHERS. As caregivers, when we change the paradigm from "caring for others" to "EMPOWERING others" - just think of the possibilities!
These are all reasons that empowerment is in our tagline - Courage to Caregivers aspires to provide essential tools of resilience to our participants. We can't do it FOR you - yet we can inspire, coach and support you in your journey of personal growth as you pursue and achieve your goals. 🙌 Then, this allows YOU to empower others - those in your care as well as other caregivers.
Empowerment includes "being given the means or opportunity to improve your situation." We know that the stress of caregiving can lead to caregiver burnout. How can you better cope/manage the stress of caregiving? AND how can we best support you?
Check out the June Newsletter focused on CREATIVE EMPOWERMENT here.
Read MoreThis week’s topic requires courage, self-awareness, and an understanding of the difference between healthy and unhealthy behaviors. Sounds like a lot, I know, but setting healthy boundaries is so important to having strong relationships and personal growth that it’s well worth the effort.
Read MoreOne of the best ways we have to express ourselves is by being creative. Our creative activities allow us to take time away from our challenges, to let our emotions rest, to spend mindful moments immersed in something that we enjoy, and to express what’s inside ourselves.
Read MoreThis week’s topic applies not only to caregivers but also to the people who support them. And it reminds me of something we refer to all of the time – the “ripple effect” of caregiving. If the person we care for, living with mental illness, is a pebble tossed into the water, we are that first ripple of support, and then more ripples are created around us to include family members, friends, associates, professionals, and everyone else we turn to for support. Ultimately, these ripples are all part of the wave of support for the loved one we care for, but we also are affected by the ripples.
Read MoreTo be truly open-minded, we must allow ourselves to be vulnerable, and this enables us to grow. But always remember that it’s YOUR mind, and open-mindedness is in YOUR control.
Read MoreHaving a fixed mindset is telling yourself that you (and your loved one) can't change.
Having a growth mindset is reminding yourself that you are a perfectly imperfect perpetual work in progress and that anything is possible.
It's NEVER too late to cultivate a growth mindset - your brain is like a rubber band and science tells us that you can learn new things. It starts with believing.
You don't get really good at something - anything - without practice. Your brain is a muscle - give your growth mindset a good workout today!
Check out the May Newsletter focused on GROWTH MINDSET here.
Read MoreAs you probably know, self-growth is very important to us at Courage to Caregivers, and that includes growing our minds. One of the best ways to ensure that our minds keep growing and developing in a positive way is by staying curious.
Read MoreThis week’s topic is all about one of the greatest stress relievers: the power of happiness and laughter. Although the emotional roller coaster of caregiving may make us feel awkward or uncomfortable to experience happiness and laughter during stressful times, it’s important to remember that humor is one of our most natural responses to difficult situations, and it has proven benefits for our emotional health.
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