Be Proud of Your Progress
Be Proud of Your Progress

“The goal is not to be perfect by the end. The goal is to be better today.” – Simon Sinek

I love that quote because it speaks to what we’re all about at Courage to Caregivers. We’re not about perfectionism. We don’t strive to be perfect. What we do strive for is progress … baby steps toward personal improvement … embracing a growth mindset as we deal with all of the challenges we face in our daily lives … recognizing all that we accomplish along our life’s journey … and being “better today.”

That’s why I always say, “I’m a perfectly imperfect perpetual work in progress.” And this week’s topic, progress over perfection, is just another way of saying that our progress is what matters, not perfection.

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CourageKristi HornerProgress Over Perfection
Three New Strategies for Dealing with Mistakes
Three New Strategies for Dealing with Mistakes

Admitting a mistake can be empowering. By accepting our mistakes and taking responsibility for them, we gain strength and confidence in our ability to learn and improve. So, instead of trying to shift blame or ignoring the consequences the next time you make a mistake – and there will be a next time – accept responsibility for it, and treat it as an opportunity for YOU to make things better.

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CourageKristi HornerLearn From Mistakes
September Newsletter: Attitude is one of your SUPERpowers
September Newsletter: Attitude is one of your SUPERpowers

In my research around our theme for September of attitude - I found a LOT of different attitudes about ATTITUDE. I was looking for an expert, and it turns out a lot of people have a lot of opinions about attitude and the role it plays in our lives. Where I can see they ALL agree: our attitude is OURS - we OWN it.

My #1 SHEro Brené Brown helped me by keeping it simple ... "An attitude is a way of THINKING." She compares it to having a practice: "a practice is a way of doing, trying, failing and trying again."

This really helped me to focus in on attitude and my THOUGHTS. Attitudes are evaluations of “things” (attitude objects) - a person, a product or social group.

Turns out we each hold thousands of attitudes - some of these are inherited and some are learned. AND ... no matter what the attitude is, WE hold the control.

Check out the September newsletter focused on our theme of Attitude here!

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Attitude, NewslettersKristi HornerPersistence, reali, copi, Attitude
How Do You Cope?
How Do You Cope?

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!”

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AttitudeKristi HornerCoping mechanisms, Stress
Realistic Optimism Is Strategic Optimism
Realistic Optimism Is Strategic Optimism

“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.

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AttitudeKristi HornerRealistic Optimism, Optimism
A New Take on the Tortoise and the Hare
A New Take on the Tortoise and the Hare

As 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.

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

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Your Body is a Temple, NewslettersKristi HornerNourish Yourself, Move Your Body, Nut, Sleep, Sleep Hygiene, Body Image
Want a Good Night’s Sleep? Don’t Overthink It.
Want a Good Night’s Sleep? Don’t Overthink It.

It’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.

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Your Body is a TempleKristi HornerSleep Hygiene, Sleep
Be Playful, Break the Rules, and Just Move
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.

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Your Body is a TempleKristi HornerMovement, Move Your Body
The “Magic” of Body Kindness
The “Magic” of Body Kindness

The 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!

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Your Body is a TempleKristi HornerBody Image
Show Your Body the Respect It Deserves
Show Your Body the Respect It Deserves

At 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.

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Your Body is a TempleKristi HornerNourish Yourself
July Newsletter: You Have the Power to Grow
July Newsletter: You Have the Power to Grow

Growing 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.

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You Have Power to Grow, NewslettersKristi HornerPlay, Disconnecting, Media Consumption, Motivation, Self-Discipline
Learn to Play (Again), and You Learn to Grow
Learn to Play (Again), and You Learn to Grow

Writer 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.”

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You Have Power to GrowKristi HornerPlay
It’s Easier to Move if You’re Unplugged
It’s Easier to Move if You’re Unplugged

As 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.

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You Have Power to GrowKristi HornerMedia Consumption
Finding It Hard to Get Motivated? You Have the Power to Make It Easy!
Finding It Hard to Get Motivated? You Have the Power to Make It Easy!

It’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.

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You Have Power to GrowKristi HornerSelf-Discipline, Motivation
June Newsletter: Grow Through What You Go Through 🌱
June Newsletter: Grow Through What You Go Through 🌱

Empowerment 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.

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Creative Empowerment, NewslettersKristi HornerHealthy Boundaries, Creative Spaces, Creativity, Holding Space, Silence, Open-Mindedness
A Message for You and Your Support Network
A Message for You and Your Support Network

This 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.

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Creative EmpowermentKristi HornerHolding Space, Silence