Last week, I felt my life expand. The feeling was glorious.
I realized that stress, including caregiving stress, absolutely created a claustrophobic life.
We understand how stress impacts our physical health.
But we don’t always see how stress steals our hope by shrinking our life.
When we feel the fullness of opportunities in our life, we feel hopeful. We have time and space and resources to pursue what matters.
When we feel closed because of the stress in our life, we lose hope. We don’t have the time and space and resources to consider how to include what could matter to us in our lives.
The stress demoralizes us during a time that already tests our faith. We feel disconnected from support because so many in our life just don’t get it. We feel overwhelmed by The 19 Caregiving Systems because they take so much from us. We struggle to manage our 14 Caregiving Fatigues which drain us because they weigh so heavy on our heart and soul.
Family caregivers can’t continue to live like this.
We need to lessen their caregiving stress.
We need to lessen the stress so that family caregivers can start their days feeling open to their lives.
When family caregivers feel like they can stretch their arms to feel the fullness of their lives, they can continue. They can manage the fullness of their emotional journey, which includes the moments of deep heartache and the times when they feel joy.
When family caregivers feel like they must pull their arms in and around to protect what they worry they will lose, family caregivers live in sacrifice which makes continuing difficult. The heartbreak builds to an intolerable level and joy feels impossible.
Every family caregiver deserves to feel relieved from their stress. Each family caregiver may have unique situations that cause them stress which is why each family caregiver needs personalized support for stress relief coupled with connecting with a community that understands. It’s how we help keep family caregivers well. It’s how they can keep a life during a life of caregiving.
Last week reminded me what’s possible when the stress lifts, even for a moment.
Let’s prioritize lifting stress.
What stresses you out the most? How does that stress affect your hope?
Resources
- Tell us what weighs heavy on your heart; connect with a Volunteer Listening Artist during our Caregiving Listener Project on February 21.
- Join us on our community, Caring Our Way, on February 20 in honor of National Caregivers Day for a chance to win, including gifts cards to Dunkin Donuts and Amazon.
- Check out our caregiving resources that offer both personalized support and a supportive community.
