With all the stress and responsibility of caregiving, it’s easy to forget to give ourselves credit for the wonderful things we do for others. Nurse Beckie from FirstLight Home Careshares 7 positive New Year’s resolutions for caregivers that help us acknowledge our contributions and find ways to reduce stress and increase well-being.
New Year’s resolutions for caregivers can be opportunities for growth, but can sometimes feel like punishments.
Instead of starting the year by focusing on the negatives, here are 7 positive resolutions that help you realize just how meaningful you are to the people you’re helping.
1. Learn to love yourself again
When we embark on the journey of family caregiving, it’s easy to lose ourselves.
Between endless to-do lists and increasing needs, caring for an older adult may swell to consume our time and eventually, our personality, too.
And when even tiny, unimportant mistakes feel like we’re failing someone we love, we may find ourselves in dark places with no clear path out.
But part of being a good family caregiver is taking care of yourself, too.
Finding ways to manage the doubt and insecurity that can sink in over time is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves.
2. Don’t stress about things you can’t control
One way to manage that doubt is to understand that there are many things that are simply out of our control.
There are times when we just can’t be there or when there’s nothing we can do to make a situation better.
But these things are not your fault.
Punishing yourself for unforeseen events or things outside your control only makes life harder and the future seem more bleak.
In the new year, take a step back and breathe – and remember that you can’t control or solve every situation.