When you become a caregiver, your already busy life doubles or even triples in workload. Tasks multiply, from getting second opinions and calling insurance companies to rescheduling your appointments around your loved one's needs. The emotional strain can zap your energy, making even the simplest tasks feel monumental. How often have you laid in bed, unable to fall asleep or waking up at 1 AM, unable to return to rest?

Before you know it, you realize you have no time for yourself, and even if you did, you wouldn’t have the energy. Everyone says to put yourself first, but how do you do that? More importantly, how do you believe you can do it?

Today, let’s tackle self-care in a way that feels achievable and special. ‍

The Value of Just 15 Minutes:

As caregivers, we often feel that self-care is just another task on an already overflowing plate. But what if we reframe it as something manageable, like just 15 minutes? Studies show that short, frequent breaks...

What do you do when you are in a funk, super overstressed, and are stuck in this bad space? 

Affirmations are a self-help strategy used to prompt self-confidence and belief in your own abilities.  They're positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging  and negative thoughts. When you repeat them often, and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes.

Affirmation can help you shift your mindset.  Help you believe yourself even when you are fearful or have failed.   

Neuroplasticity, or your brain’s ability to change and adapt to different circumstances throughout your life, offers a clue to help understand not only what makes affirmations work, but how to make them more effective.

Your brain sometimes gets a little mixed up on the difference between reality and imagination, which can be surprisingly useful.

Creating a mental image of yourself doing something activates many of the same brain...

Stress and anxiety can feel like  carrying around a very heavy backpack.  It feels like you can’t turn off your mind whether it’s worry, anger, or the thoughts of everything that has to be done or all the demands on you.  Your chest gets tightens when you hear a text alert or a phone ring.  

As working women  caregiving you are stretched and stressed at the highest levels and your body and mind are going to show signs and symptoms of stress and anxiety.  If you stay at that higher level, something is going to break and affect your overall well-being.  

Find a morning routine and mindset can help reduce and release stress.

Start your day with intention and a fresh mindset.  Choose to fill your mind with happiness, gratitude and joy each morning.   

Each day is different.  If I know my spouse has an appointment, I might say,  Today, I’m going to be optimistic and grateful for his oncology...

In the hustle of caregiving, self-care often falls by the wayside, especially in the early hours when the demands of the day seem to pile up before the sun even rises. But what if the secret to managing stress and fostering well-being lies in the way we greet the morning? This is the empowering premise behind a recent episode of the Caregiver Cup podcast, where listeners are invited to delve into the transformative potential of morning routines.

The episode opens with a candid personal narrative, as the host shares a pivotal moment from six years ago that catalyzed a significant shift in perspective. This vulnerability leads to a broader discussion about the benefits of morning rituals for caregivers. It's not merely a list of tasks; it's about embracing a practice that has the power to ripple positive change across various aspects of life.

One key concept introduced is "habit stacking," which encourages caregivers to build momentum with small, consistent wins each morning....

How many of you laid in bed and wished that the world would just go away?   When I was growing up I remember that song…. Make the world go away,  (play)   I know I am aging myself.  

Yes it’s normal to feel like that on occasion.  But reality is, we have to get up and live our life.     

What does your day look like?

• A day of doctor appointments
• A day of chemotherapy or physical therapy
• Is your spouse having surgery today
• Is it staying home and taking care of your spouse
• Are you working?
• Are you trying to figure out how to get that appliance repaired
• Do you have to clean the house or do the laundry
• Grocery shopping
• Launching a new product in your business?

What is your mind saying this morning to you?   

• I am stressed
• I am anxious
• I am struggling 
• I am sad
• I am angry
• I am frustrated
• It’s ground hog’s day
• I am excited
• I am feeling joy

Our minds are...