Caregiving and the Holidays: Less Perfection, More Joy!

We all want the Holidays to be a perfect time of joy and celebration. Those of us who care for others feel this deeply and sometimes, desperately.

We understandably want our loved ones to have the best experience possible but the need to make everything shiny and bright can put undo pressure on those of us who are already tired, overwhelmed, and even sad.

My Mom was a die-hard Holiday enthusiast and set a very high standard for our family to follow as we grew older, and her dementia slowly took away her ability to set the stage for our family festivities.

It took quite a lot of effort and trial and error when we took over the family gatherings but we finally began to understand that the definition of success during the holidays had nothing to do with perfection and everything to do with best efforts and lots of love.

Near the end, it became quite obvious that while twinkle lights and decorations were lovely, kindness, quiet time together, gentle conversation, and lots of hand-holding and love were far bigger components in the search for the peace and celebration the Holidays symbolize.

So if you feel like you are knocking yourself out to create a magical season, perhaps take a pause and look around and see what really matters during this special time. Perhaps less glitter and more reflection and tenderness might just be what’s needed. Your desire to spread joy is already a gift brimming over and that is more than enough.

Nothing has to be perfect, but it would be lovely if it were memorable. And that can happen from the tiniest of moments.

So however you spend your energy and whatever decisions you make to celebrate this time of year, please take time to remember that the shiniest star is you. That’s what shines the most bright this season. 

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Caregiver Survival and Joy for the Holidays

 Dear Caregiver Warriors,

As one Caregiver Warrior to another, I offer advice, helpful tips, and strategies based on the experience, strength, and hope I found while surviving my own caregiving journey. It has become my mission to share my stories and the things I learned about being an empowered caregiver. To help spread the word and offer guidance to other caregivers, I have written a new book entitled “Self Care for Caregivers: a practical guide to caring for you while you care for your loved one.”  It’s available at your favorite bookstore. There is even a audio version so you can listen on the go! If you find the book everything you hoped for, please let me know and please leave a review where you purchased the book! Your feedback means the world to me!