E25: Pruning Your Caregiver Challenges and Overwhelm

This week I started my Spring gardening prep.   

I can’t clean out the leaves and debris yet since until it gets warmer since the bees, butterflies and other little insects are trying to stay warm yet.  But it’s time to prune the bushes and trees.  

My husband just rolls his eyes and goes along with my gardening passion.   If it was up to him, we would just leave it.  But I want the plants and trees needs just a bit of help to show their beauty.  

Here’s the definition: 

Pruning removes dead and dying branches and stubs, allowing room for new growth and protecting your property and passerby from damage. It also deters pest and animal infestation and promotes the plant's natural shape and healthy growth.

It’s also a reminder that we can do our own personal pruning too.  

• Can you prune back those dead or dying branches?   What are those for you?
• Is it worry?   Can you find a way to cut back that branch?
• Is it  negativity?  And distancing yourself from negativity (news, social media, ppl)

Is it anger and resentment that consumers your mind? 

• Pruning allows room for new growth.   When you release those bad habits, bad thoughts, and accept your new reality, you will allow for those buds, blossoms and new growth.  
• How are you allowing for new growth?   It starts with mindset. 
• Journal gratitude - 5 things each morning
• Affirmation - those words you tell yourself - post them on your mirror, set a timer on your phone to remind you
• Coaching - speaking with someone to look at your situation and improve
• Meditation and quiet thoughts

• Pruning protects your property - yourself.   When you pivot your mindset, set healthy boundaries and manage your new normal, you are starting to take care of yourself.     
• You can’t expect that beautiful crab apple tree to blossom every spring into this beautiful tree if you don’t trim it back, cut off the dead branches, fertilize it and water it.   Same goes for you. 
• Close your eyes and envision your best self.  What does she look like?  What does she sound like?  What does she feel like?
• What is your pruning plan for you? 
• Meditation or Yoga
• Moving your body 30 minutes a day will improve your mood
• Drinking half your weight in water will increase your energy
• Eating healthy will fuel your body 
• Finding joy. Laughter and Fun is important for you too
• Music, Laughter, Hobby, chatting with a friend,

• NOTE:  The tree can’t prune itself.  But with a little help, it will start to become healthier and soon will blossom. 
• As a coach and if you came to me I would ask you what needs pruning?  
• Then we would break down each one.  
• If you were lonely, we would look at ways to improve that.  IE: chat with a friend, joining a community, planning a date or girl night out.  
• If you feel stretched, we need to look at the situation and figure out how to get more help or let go of things.  
• If you are exhausted, we need to really figure out what the root cause of your exhaustion is and then you can start working on ways to improve it.  

If you want to check out my coaching, go to cathylvan.com/coaching.  It's  a FREE 30 minute session.  That way you can decide if this is a good fit for you.  

As caregivers, you and I think we have to take it all on.  Think about what you do.  

I am a caregiver, a consultant for a fortune 100 company, a business owner, a mom, a daughter, a wife,   You get the picture. 

Women especially.  

You can’t leave caregiving but YOU CAN find joy in your journey.  You can control your situation.    You can think like a manager and figure it out.  

I want to leave you with a quote from Florence Littauer:  "The purpose of pruning is to improve the quality of roses, not to hurt the bush."