Caregivers and Holiday Stress
How to keep a clear mind with holiday stress!
The holiday season is well underway and if you are a caregiver for a loved one who is losing autonomy, I have a message for you in this article. I know you’re probably feeling like your head is going to explode. Since Thanksgiving, we are all being bombarded with information, reminders, offers, invitations.
You are a caregiver and you feel holiday stress right now
You are almost certainly feeling the stress right now so let’s do something together right now.
FIrst blow out all the air in your lungs, and a bit more. Ok, when you’ve got it all out, just open your mouth, let it come back in.
Let’s do another one;
Blow…
Open your mouth.
Ok. I’d love to know what effect this had on you. But it’s important because when we are stressed, we don’t think as clearly. So we are more likely to get distracted.
Watch “Caregivers with Holiday Stress” on YouTube HERE
Caregivers and Holiday Stress: What You Need To Remember
So now let’s get started with what you need to remember.
You have a loved one who needs you so you need to take care of yourself, right ?
In this season this means to keep your priorities straight.
So make a note, physically if you can, otherwise mentally, right now. What are your top 3 things you need to do by the end of the week?
What are the top three things you need to do today.
Depending on your circumstances, it might be 1 or 5 but I recommend that you not go over 5.
And now is the harder part. If you don’t want to lose your mind, if it’s not in those 1 to 5 things, it has no place in your attention span. Close that window, that email, don’t answer that phone, do whatever you need to protect your self-declared priorities.
A client of mine is facing this very difficulty, with her loved one declining, she is having to plan her appointments around her loved ones schedule and so has to say no even to things she would have liked to say yes to in other circumstances.
I remember when I was repeatedly driving 500 miles roundtrip to my parents house when they needed me, I was unable to go to a good friend of mine’s birthday party. It stung but I had to do it, I had established my priorities.
You find it hard to manage your holiday stress?
Now if you are finding this hard to do, it is something I help my clients with in Your Support Within Your Reach my community of support for caregivers of loved ones who are losing autonomy.
I’m really good at helping others clarify their priorities.
I’ve created this community to be within your reach, to have easy access, financially, logistically and timewise.
The promise I make is that you will be heard where you are and that you will get emotional support that will change your ability to find your own solutions.
To achieve that, I provide written support, I have a live online group meeting every month and I create a new meditation for you every month, about letting go or about any topic I notice needs attention.
And it’s only 27 euros (or roughly 30 dollars) per month.
The link is https://yoursupportwithinyourreach.com
The most important thing for caregivers and holiday stress
So the most important thing you need to remember, is that just because there are more things grabbing for your attention doesn’t mean there’s more of you to go around. Make your priorities clear and you can navigate the holiday frenzy much more peacefully.
https://yoursupportwithinyourreach.com
Sonia Weyers
Gestalt-thérapist Supporting Caregicers
Dare The Freedom To Be Yourself
PS: For more tips for caregivers of loved ones with a loss of autonomy you can check out my blog , from 2024, my YouTube Videos or my book “The Sundown of Life”.