6 Ways To Deal With Stress As A Caregiver During The Holidays

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6 Ways To Deal With Stress As A Caregiver During The Holidays

At any point in the year, when there are expectations for caregivers that go above and beyond their everyday obligations, especially during holidays, caregivers need extra support! On top of getting your care receiver to their appointments, doing your laundry, managing outside work (if you have a full- or part-time paid job), and making sure the driveway is shoveled, you feel the pressure of getting holiday meals ready, and preparing the house for guests (in my house, this is a week-long event). Do you feel like you have to be a Super Human to get it all done? It is normal to feel overwhelmed, completely exhausted, and like it’s hard to actually feel joy. Luckily, I am here today to give you some support and guidance. 

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Why It's STILL Ok To Not Be Ok

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Why It's STILL Ok To Not Be Ok

Earlier this year, I wrote the below blog “Why It’s Ok To Not Be Ok”. Many states were shut down due to COVID, restaurants weren’t open, and everything was being cancelled. Life was hard back then, but it’s still hard now. I am sure many of you (me included!) were hoping we’d be “back to normal” by now, were hoping for a “normal” Thanksgiving, and are disappointed that we are not. We are in the holiday season, and many are unsure how to navigate keeping social distancing and mask wearing in mind. Infection rates are rising, and many fear another shut down.

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What is Beginners Mind?

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What is Beginners Mind?

Beginners Mind is one of seven principles within Mindfulness meditation practice and the most important according to prominent Zen authors. The other six principles are Letting Go, Acceptance, Non-Judgement, Non-Striving, and Trust. I will interchange the terms “principles” and “practice” throughout the blog because principles are practiced and practice involves principles. 

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5 Tips To Navigate Mask Wearing And Social Distancing With Family And Friends This Holiday Season

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5 Tips To Navigate Mask Wearing And Social Distancing With Family And Friends This Holiday Season

Holidays are coming, and with that comes planning for the holidays.  We have been dealing with a quarantine for several months now, and that will of course impact how we celebrate the remaining holidays this year. So what do you do for the holidays when your siblings want to get together and they think as long as you all social distance and are outside that’s OK? What if you feel like you shouldn’t get together at all in person, and you’d would prefer to Zoom for the Thanksgiving meal?  We need to come to terms with the fact that this holiday season is probably going to be very different for us than it has ever been before.   Rather than allowing the quarantine, social distancing, and who is wearing masks when to cause stress and strain between family members, I suggest that you give it some foresight. Here are 5 tips on navigating mask wearing and social distancing with family and friends this holiday season.

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6 Ways to Cope When You Are Feeling Overwhelmed

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6 Ways to Cope When You Are Feeling Overwhelmed

2020 has been a roller coast of a year for many, including myself!  It was the year of big plans, changes, and aspirations all squashed due to the pandemic, and the many challenges and alterations it brought to life.  The minute we seem to get answers or figure out a routine in this new normal, something changes, and we must pivot and draft a new plan of how to function in a new way of life.  Trying to manage within a pandemic can be very overwhelming.  On top of worrying about normal problems and life issues, there are now bigger matters at hand, most of which we do not have concrete answers to.  Not knowing or having a plan of action can cause us to feel emotionally overwhelmed and fear the worst.  These feelings are normal and can be addressed and worked on.  However sometimes they become overbearing, feeling like the weight of the world is on your shoulders.  Let’s discuss 6 ways to best move forward when those feelings begin to take over and it feels like you against the world with no end in sight. 

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