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I picture the caregiving journey as  a roller coaster ride.  You are in the car, strapped in and a bit nervous.  In rough seasons, you're going up that big hill - full of fear, questioning why you are here, maybe crying or talking to yourself telling yourself everything will be ok.  

Then you get to the top of the hill - it’s so high,  Are you gripping those bars in front of you or are you enjoying that you reached the top and can’t wait  head down for awhile?  

Then you get to the bottom of that hill and immediately you are going up another hill. Then a curve and then another hill.   Are you numb, are you exhausted or are you just waiting for things to stop?  

How do you deal with those challenging and difficult times as a caregiver?  Do you find yourself in a bundle of emotions or more stress and anxiety that normal? You may feel so stretched with more things on your plate that you can’t even figure out what to do next.  Or you thoughts and feeling are so dark or negative or hopeless?  Frustrated?  You feel like you  are in this deep hole and can’t figure out how to get out of it.  Or you may even feel like a hamster on a wheel just going and going and nothing ever changes.  

This is not an easy season to be in.  I now have experienced this several times in my caregiving journey.   Getting back to the roller coaster - some of those seasons are massive hills and other were smaller one and then there was the loop de loop ones.  

It tough,  it’s sucky and it’s difficult

I want to share some things that I do in these difficult seasons of caregiving.  

1. Focus on three things.   And only 3 things.   As caregivers we put so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect or to keep up with everything.  And what will eventually happen - burn out.   
2. The second one is to keep perspective.  Everything isn’t bad.  There are some good times.  There are some blessing.  Remember those good times.  Remember everything isn’t bad.  Focus on how pretty dam amazing you are - your skills, your strength, your accomplishments, your kick butt advocacy .  Embrace the good days and the beautiful gifts each day.  Stop focusing on all the negative things and struggles, the bad.   You’re given this beautiful miracle each day and that is your own choice.  You can choose your attitude,  positivity and mood.   
3. The third one is to ask yourself - what am I learning here.  Caregiving is a new level of self-development.  Think about - what can I learn from this situation right now.  What messages am I sending to myself right now.  What am I learning about my behaviors, beliefs and interactions with other ppl. Another thought is what else can I learn outside of caregiving.  Something that will give me purpose or passion or just get me out of bed each day in this tough season.    
4. The forth one is do not forget about Gratitude.  There is so much power in gratitude.  I talked all about this in my last episode - 79  It’s part of keeping perspective.   Think about what we do have and the blessings all around us.  Instead of saying this is going wrong or that is terrible, instead say - what am I grateful for.  What is the good all around me.   Keep these things in mind and you will feel the energy coming up. 

So as you are riding that roller coaster that we call Caregiving,  remember, to take care of yourself first.  Take these tips today and keep focusing on what you CAN do and what things you CAN control and what choices you HAVE.  

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