IMG_1372When I’m faced with a problem, I want to DO something. I don’t like feeling helpless so I’m always looking for a way to solve, fix, or change a challenging situation. It’s been hard for me to accept the fact that there are some problems for which there are no good solutions.

If you are caring for someone who has a disability or a progressive and degenerative disease, and there is nothing you can DO to change or improve their situation, you might want to just try BEING with them.

We can BE kind and compassion. We can BE accepting and loving. We can BE present with our care receivers when we are with them, and we can BE supportive of their journey. We can let them know that we will BE there to help them through whatever lies ahead.

We can also give ourselves permission to BE human and feel whatever we’re feeling without judging or condemning ourselves when we run short on patience or we fail to meet our own standards of perfection.

So today I hope you will DO what you can, BE true to who you are, and let the rest go. If you can do that, your caregiving experience could end up being a little less stressful.