Greetings!
Sometimes, the thought of creating a BALANCED life can feel overwhelming.
When caregiving, you're always under pressure to "MAKE THE DECISION"....
After reading Eckhart Tolle's book "The Power of Now" I had an opportunity to 'be present as the watcher of my mind--of my own thoughts and emotions as well as my own reactions in various situations.'
Tolle's spiritual wisdom can help caregivers embrace the idea that we have some control in the midst of our caregiving journey. Yes, we can't control the person we are caring for all the time, but we can control our reactions. We can observe the situation without self-judgement or judging others. We can allow our thoughts and feelings to appear without reacting to them. We can just allow ourselves to breathe deeply and remain "IN THE MOMENT"... to just "be" in the moment.
To some caregivers this may feel like detachment, but to others it may feel more like relief. "You mean I don't have to push my opinions onto my parents? I can be in the moment and not fix the situation in this instant? I can think about my next step as a spouse? I can allow myself to connect to my intuition and let it lead me?
Sometimes during our caregiving journey we will have to decide whether our loved one remains home or needs to be relocated to a new place to call home. As difficult as this is, and it can be a VERY difficult DECISION that we face ... we might feel uncomfortable and disconnected to ourselves, Tolle believes that we can flip our reaction and look at it as an opportunity to integrate the idea of spiritual guidance. Tolle writes, 'It is finding your true nature beyond name and form.' So, for me, it's about being connected to my essence which allows me to make well-connected decisions, well-felt out decisions, well-balanced decisions. This is who I am most of the time and when I practice remaining in my true nature, it makes my life more peaceful, more genuine, and more intentional .... I have Balance in my life.
My friends Barbara and Jay Marshall, owners of House to Home Relocation in St. Petersburg, FL are very thoughtful certified senior move managers who work closely with families who are often making this difficult decision. They share a story of an elderly couple who are moving from FL to Texas because it is time for them to be closer to their adult children. The elderly wife is at her caregiving tipping point of overwhelm and burn-out and admits "NOW, I need more support." This is how one caregiver began to create more BALANCE in her journey as a caregiver who allowed her spiritual guidance to guide her response versus her reaction to a difficult situation.
We are hoping this story will inspire you to make some necessary decisions to help you see that you are not alone in your caregiving journey. We all have common threads amongst our individual stories. The question is, "How do we want to handle them?"
No one ever said growing old was easy or caring for a loved one either, but it's part of life. Now you get to decide each day how you want to be in your life. I suggest you practice being "in the moment" and allowing your true nature to guide you.
This wisdom can be your wisdom too.
How is your year going? I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to share what you need, so that I can continue to evolve and create resources that support you as a caregiver. You can call me at 727-798-2663 or email me at kim@thecaregiverhour.com
Live well,
Kim Linder
Senior Holistic Living  | | Live 11AM to 12PM EST on MondaysClear Channel 1250 AM WHNZ Impact Radio in Tampa (www.whnz.com) |
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How a Caregiver Can Rely on a Senior Move Manager
A retired nurse/wife of 50 years and now caregiver to her husband stricken with Alzheimer's recently called about our downsizing and moving services and said "I need your help! We are moving out of state in 3 weeks and I have so much to do." She'd heard how we take a start to finish approach on moving people, not just their things.
Overwhelmed by a short schedule to liquidate household items from their recently sold home, schedule a mover, find an auto shipper, clean out her husband's 20-year art studio, plus more, this overwhelmed caregiver was in need of an extra set of hands and a partner in the process to provide resources and help get her husband and her to their new home across the country. [Click here to read the full blog...]
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| About Senior Holistic Living
Senior Holistic Living is a comforting resource for caregivers who are seeking guidance, encouragement, and more balance in their life. We are a reminder that caregiving does not have to be a mindless duty - that it can, in fact, be a mindful opportunity for the caregiver's own growth.
If you need advice or have unanswered questions, our recommended resources will be both helpful and reassuring. If you yearn to feel more connected to your feelings and thoughts but are not quite sure how to make it happen, allow us to lend a hand. And if you simply seek respite during a time of crisis, we can help you find peace. We'll show you how to create balance and minimize stress so that you can make better and more conscious decisions.
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 Join our Blogging Community
We are launching a blogging community where professional and family caregivers can share their advice, experiences, ideas and inspirations. Would you like to join us?
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