PRIORITIZING YOUR NEEDS
In our Tuesday Women's Empowerment Circle, we looked at how to restructure your priorities, and put yourself at the top of your list. It's important for you as a raregiver to take care of yourself first, just like if you're on an airplane and there is an emergency, you must put on your oxygen mass first and then help your Rare child. Prioritizing yourself is essential in creating sustainability in your life.
Structures
Structures create sustainability. Creating structures requires planning and then paying attention so you can make moment to moment adjustments. You might plan to hire a nanny, line up a school or apply for assistance from your state.
One of our participants mentioned that she has a new structure that is helping her in her life with her adult Rare child immensely. After many years of waiting on the list, the Medicaid waiver finally came through. This made a huge difference because then she could get paid to care for her Rare child as well as pay others to be on her support team. Here is a resource link you may find helpful if you need more support: https://www.facebook.com/payfamilycaregivers
Self-care
Self-care is very often the first thing to go when you are stressed. You might do something like skipping the gym for several days in a row or cutting back on your prayer or meditation time. You have needs and then matter. What is eating up your time? Take a look and then prioritize your own time by asking the question, "does this bring me joy?" If it does not, perhaps you need to reorganize or restructure something in your life.
You deserve it
In order to create time for yourself or to be on the receiving end of assistance, you need to feel like you deserve it. Self-care is self-love and it is based on feeling worthy. Many times, raregivers say to themselves, "I should just do it by myself. This is my problem, I will deal with it.” The truth is that you need help and that as humans we are all interconnected, which means that the issues of a raregiver are not only your problem rather they are our problem.
Remember, you have needs and you are worthy of help.
Coming up next week: Replenish With Self-Care
Self-care is at the core of finding balance and sustainability in your life. It’s not easy for raregivers to make time for self-care and it is hugely important. Who knows how to take care of you better than your pre-caregiver self? In this session we will take some time to connect with who you were before you became a raregiver. We will explore what types of activities gave you pleasure, rest, fulfillment or a sense of ease. Come and be nourished in this session with others who support you to take care of yourself.
Please Join Us
You may not realize how much you need the Raregivers community until you find it.
Zoom Link: Click Here
We look forward to being with you soon.