CAREGIVER'S NEW YEAR & ATTITUDE
a CAREGIVER'S RESOLUTION
A NEW YEAR & A NEW ATTITUDE
The beginning of the year offers many opportunities—even for Caregivers.
“If you want things to change, you have to do something different.”
As a Caregiver, you may not be able to do a lot of things differently, but you can have a different attitude, approach or feeling about the things that you do have to do.
And so that’s what I am going to attempt to do—do something different.
What exactly?
That is the question of the moment.
Last week was one of the top ten worst weeks of my life. I wrote about the “Bad Day,” without mentioning that that day had been preceded by an equally as bad day and followed by another bad day. And so, it was bad day, after bad day, after bad day until I reached the point where I honestly felt there would never be another good day.
And those bad days took place during the Holiday Season. A season when other people seemed to be full of Joy—or they at least did a good job “faking a smile with their coffee to go.” Unfortunately, there was not enough caffeine, wine, or merriment to allow me to “fake it.” I was indeed in a depressive state of mind.
Fortunately, I have a strong support system made up of my Brother, Cousin, and a few friends—from Childhood, College, and my Career. And my support is grounded in Faith. A strong Faith that keeps me aware that with God, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!
“ALL” things are possible.
Doing something different is possible.
Having a different attitude about the things that I cannot change is possible.
Finding joy, love, and some semblance of happiness in each and every day is possible.
All of this is easy to say on this the third day of the New Year. Yet I imagine that it is not going to be that easy to do. But I will.
I Can!
I am not naive; I know that I will continue to have bad days. It is the nature of being a Family Caregiver. But I have to believe that there will be plenty of good days sprinkled in between.
Today is a New Day! A day that offers the opportunity to do something different.
And so, as my Brother is fond of saying, “I plan to have a good day on purpose!”
Wish me luck, strength, patience, and courage—I am going to need it!
It’s a New Year and I am going to try my very best to have a New Attitude about being a Caregiver.
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I’m a new to the caregiver Army. Right when you were writing this, I was being drafted and my definition of normal was suddenly being rewritten without my permission.
Thank you for your post. I’m coming up the curve on what it means to be a willing member of the caregiver Army.
Four weeks into my enlistment, what I’m choosing to do differently is deciding to take that deep breath and let go of my expectations so I can create some new ones that fit my now.
Your writings hit home on a number of levels. I would say to you that "you are not alone," but I remember when someone told me that, and I felt very much alone in my role. We are like an army, all of us caregiving, but at the same time we are alone in our situations. I'm glad @carermentor tagged me to introduce me to you, that you're sharing your story ... and that you have faith to sustain you. ♥️