When I bring up the concept of meditation, a lot of people look at me with a tilted head, sometimes even an eye roll or two. I get it; meditation can be a bit ‘woo-woo’ for some people. For years I tried to practice it because I heard over and over the benefits (mind and body), but with a nickname like ‘Hummingbird,’ it speaks for itself on my ability to do so.
The frustrating part was that I knew people that practiced meditation daily and I could see the difference it made. It was about that time when I was caring for my Mom that my sister introduced me to Elizabeth Guilbeault. Elizabeth is in Massachusetts but we were able to connect on the phone, and I started one of her meditation basics programs through her Meditate to Heal website. The difference it made/continues to make in my life is transformative. So much that I reached out to Elizabeth who kindly made a set of easy, short guided meditations specifically for family caregivers through the Breathing Spaces website. They will give you tools to help bring balance to your life and support you on your journey.
Your life as a family caregiver will continue to have moments of laughter and love mixed in with fear, anger, and doubt. If you depend on someone else to fill that void within you of unbalance, you’ll wait a lifetime. No doubt, coffee with a friend, being able to talk with a counselor or group about what’s happening in your life is a gold mine. But it’s within YOU that you are able to create peace.
Mindfulness has been shown to reduce stress, overthinking, anxiety and depression. It makes a significant difference with mental clarity and overall health. Be honest, how many of you have grabbed a bag of Lay’s Potato chips and downed it in one quick gulp when you’re stressed out? Change your thinking, change your life. It won’t be an immediate change; there is no magic wand that will do that. But, if you start to practice mindfulness daily, you’ll be forming a habit of being able to step back into that mind-frame of letting go, being at peace, and creating a sense of balance in your life.
Ommmmmmmmm……..
Hugs,
Cyndi