IMG_0437If you were inclined to feel sorry for yourself, Labor Day Weekend would be a logical time to do it, because it might feel like everyone else is off on an adventure while you’re stuck at home.

While it may be a labor of love to help someone with their toileting, bathing and dressing, most caregivers would agree that the hardest work we have to do is emotional.

I have discovered that just like taking a shower, emotional work is something that has to be done every single day. I’d like to suggest that you start each morning with doing something that energizes you. You might benefit from taking a walk or enjoying a great cup of coffee in solitude. Maybe you need to create a sacred space in your home where you can write, read, meditate, pray or listen to music. What you do doesn’t matter as much as whether you do it.

As a caregiver it’s important to recognize that you are doing one of the most difficult jobs anyone will ever do. You may not be able to get away for a three-day weekend, but if you can carve 30 minutes to an hour out of each day for yourself, it’s likely that the load you’re carrying will feel a little bit lighter and the day ahead will look a little bit brighter.