Being a caregiver may look easy on the outside but in reality, it can be very challenging when we are not able to keep ourselves feeling good while caring for an elderly loved one.
Here are some precious tips so that you can face this caring experience with a lighter point of view.
1) Go with the Flow!
Sometimes when we care for another, we tend to take their reaction towards us personally and this may upset our mood in the interactions with them. This obviously isn’t healthy and may build inner resistance away from our initial intention of being a positive presence as a caregiver to our elderly loved ones. The secret is actually to not let their behaviour or circumstance, stress you in any way. As long as you are doing your best, then leave all the rest. Just take a deep breath and go with the flow. As everything in life, practice will help you deal and harmonise your caregiving role. A happier you equals a happier them.
2) Don’t try to do it all by yourself!
Ask for help. I repeat: Ask for Help! It’s nice that you want to do everything on your own but we all could do with some extra support even as verbal encouragement. Share your situation with others in your same ‘caregiving’ boat and you’d be surprise how many would offer their help or even precious tips they learnt along their journey that could be of great help to yours.
3) Stop trying to do it perfect!
The biggest human error in doing anything is trying to do it perfect. The idea of waiting to be perfect, prevents the actual experience from happening and teaching us valuable lessons through the mistakes and failures. Just as in caregiving, you don’t have to feel like doing anything perfect. Just the act of doing it, is what matters. After all, we are all human and mistakes help us to polish our progress in any field.
4) Be Aware of yourself!
Being sensitive to your physical, emotional and mental states daily can help handle and prevent any unnecessary reactions or outrage to a person or situation. Knowing you are fatigued or upset about something can help you in advance, find a way to relieve it without accumulating this stress that later may find a negative outlet on a loved one. Practising calming exercises like meditation or deep breathing can work wonders in self alignment.
By practising these precious reminders, you will be able to make the best in your caregiving journey.
