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...