It starts with you, from the time you wake up in the morning the hustle and bustle of the day yet to begin. You make a hundred and one decisions, do the daily chores, look after children and then you have your caring role. You do whatever needs to be done each and every day, day in and day out and you don’t stop.
Take a breather....
Sometimes it is hard to see how you can fit anything else into an already busy schedule, but you do. But along with space and time you cannot fit everything in all at once and once again need to place some strategies for dealing with the load because at some point if you keep going at the same rate you will burn out and then you won’t be any use to anyone. You have to realistically look at what you have on your plate, setting the tone of your day where possible and look at ways in which some of the burden can be lifted off. It starts with you taking what seems like a ‘time out’ and begin to breath, to stop and get off the merry go round of appointments, meetings, long nights and take a breath - that thing that we take for granted.Take that time out
Taking a breath for some might be that walk, it might be coffee with a friend, or going to an art shop or it might be sitting still 5 minutes letting the sun hit your face as you close your eyes and drift off to that ideal place where everything is alright.Listen
I regularly spend time meditating and praying, thinking about a space where my mind can be still, where I can think and just listen to my breath, to the sound of the birds or the sound of children’s laughter in the distance. I am giving myself permission to take time out just to breath.For now, every day spend 5 minutes with your eyes closed listening to your own breath, hearing the sound of your home, the noises outside to that place where all is well and just listen.
You can also click on the 'Celebrating life' image to be taken to the rest of the posts from the Journey of a Carer.