In today’s episode of The Caregiver Cup Podcast, we’re tackling a tough but crucial topic: the spiral of making excuses, blaming, shaming, and settling that many caregivers find themselves in. These feelings and thoughts can cloud our view, mindset, and overall joy in caregiving. Let's dive into this spiral and discover how to break free.

The Reality of Caregiving Excuses

Caregivers often say things like:

• "My culture expects the children to care for the parents."
• "As a wife, that’s what we do—take care of our spouse."
• "My religion won’t let me bring in anyone for help."
• "There is no one else to help."
• "We can’t afford help."
• "My parents don’t want to be in a home, and I promised Dad I would take care of Mom."

These are true and real challenges, but they can also keep us feeling stuck. Let's explore how we can find choices within seemingly unchangeable situations.

Personal Story: Recognizing the Spiral

One Sunday, after a full...

Welcome to The Caregiver Cup Podcast!

Today, we’re diving into a crucial topic: "Making Space as a Caregiver." One of the biggest mistakes caregivers make (myself included) is putting ourselves on hold, which eventually takes a toll on our well-being. Let's talk about how to "make space," recharge, and find your personalized well-being.

The Importance of Making Space

Caregiving is demanding and can consume every aspect of your life if you let it. Let me share a few stories (names and details have been altered for privacy), but I’m sure you’ll relate.

Emma’s Story: The Overwhelmed Caregiver

Emma was a full-time caregiver for her elderly mother with Alzheimer's. She devoted all her time and energy to her mother, often skipping meals and losing sleep. Emma felt guilty even thinking about taking time for herself, believing it was selfish. Over time, her health deteriorated—she was constantly tired, emotionally drained, and began experiencing...

How many times have you heard…

• “You got this!”
• “Your loved one is so lucky to have you.”
• “Cathy, I don’t know what I would do without you,” my mom would say.
• Or, “How do you do it all? You are unbelievable.”

It may feel good to hear this, but deep inside, you are wilting. You are a mess. You are so over your head.

Self-confidence plays a crucial role in our lives as caregivers, impacting our ability to provide care effectively and maintain our well-being. Caregiver false confidence is when we believe we can manage all aspects of caregiving without help or set unrealistic expectations for ourselves. It’s a mix of mindset, personality traits, and external influences.

When I became a new caregiver back in 2017, I never stopped to look at anything. I just jumped in and took it on. I was working, running a direct sales business, training for a half marathon, along with managing my personal relationships and...

Hey there, fellow caregiver! If you're reading this, chances are you're juggling a million things at once and feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders. I get it because I've been there too. Today, I want to share a simple yet powerful habit that has helped me find some much-needed relief and joy in my caregiving journey. It's called the "I'm so done with _______ and I'm so ready for ________" habit.

The Birth of a New Habit

Inspired by a segment I recently heard on Hoda and Jenna's show, I found myself nodding along as they shared their "I'm so done with..." lists. It struck a chord with me. As caregivers, we often carry around a lot of frustrations, worries, and pent-up emotions. Sometimes, we just need to let it all out. That's where this habit comes in.

Why It Works

1. Cathartic Release: Listing what you're "so done with" allows you to vent and acknowledge your frustrations without guilt or shame. It's like giving yourself permission to feel all those emotions...

Hey there, fellow caregivers!

In this week's episode of Caregiver Cup Podcast, we delved deep into a topic that's near and dear to my heart: navigating ruminating thoughts on the caregiving journey. I shared my personal experiences and insights on how to transform those moments of dread into determination, and I wanted to expand on that in this blog post.

From Dread to Determination: My Journey

I woke up one Friday morning dreading the day ahead. Negative thoughts were swirling in my mind, and I couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom. My spouse, Denis, had an oncology appointment scheduled, and despite having been through similar appointments countless times before, this one felt different.

As I walked my dogs, trying to process my thoughts and mood, I realized there was more to my dread than just the appointment itself. It wasn't just the fear of bad news or uncertainty about Denis' health that weighed on me—it was something deeper.

After some...

Hey there, beautiful soul! Today, let's dive deep into a topic close to every caregiver's heart: finding your secret sauce to conquer those pesky negative thoughts and reclaim your joy. As someone who's been on this journey myself, I get it. It's not always sunshine and rainbows, but trust me, there's a way to sprinkle a little magic into each day.

You know those moments when you're feeling on top of the world? Take a second to celebrate those. What's working? What have you been doing differently? Maybe it's a heart-to-heart chat with a friend, a quiet moment of journaling, or simply basking in the warmth of the sun during a brisk walk. Whatever it is, it's your own special blend of joy boosters.

But let's be real, there's no one-size-fits-all solution here. Oh, how I wish we could just get a prescription for happiness! But alas, life doesn't work that way. Instead, we have to rely on our own intuition, listening closely to the whispers of our body and mind.

Think of it...