Hi There,

Good on you for noticing that stress is building in your life and wanting to deal with it.

Stress accumulates day by day so a good way to start is to address it day by day. As a caregiver, the challenging and best thing we can do is set time aside for ourselves. It's kind of against our nature, we are nurturers and tend to be self sacrificing. That's why it's important to keep the big picture in mind. When we wear ourselves out, our loved one will suffer too.

The ideal is setting aside time for yourself every day. I realize that this can be tough at first so you may need to set this as a goal. Time for yourself needs to be scheduled on your calendar just like doctor appointments and your child's games.

You may have your own ideas about how best to relieve your stress, if you need some suggestions here are my top 3.

#1 Move your body...take a walk, swim, go to the gym. Physical activity is the best stress relief.
#2 Plan a fun activity with a family member or friend. Do not talk about your caregiving responsibilities. If possible combine with suggestion #1.
#3 Fill up your spirit. Meditate, pray, see something beautiful, listen to music that soothes you. Tap into the greatness and beauty of the world.

Please check back in and let us know how it's going.