I hear from so many people who feel so depleted and don't have time to replenish themselves: too much to do and other priorities. I am not suggesting you take two weeks off and go to the Bahamas. (Though I admit that sounds amazing, it's not always feasible.) It is the smallest of things that you can do for yourself that can make the most significant impact.
I know journaling is not for everyone. I also know finding time to journal as a caregiver can be daunting. That being said, I am still going to point out the joys of journaling.
Hanukkah. Solstice. Yule. Christmas. All these powerful celebrations coincide this week, and while all have different themes and belong to different faiths, they all share one commonality: they celebrate the return of light and hope into a dark world. For caregivers, the holidays can be extremely stressful as we try to balance the needs of others with the needs of ourselves. It can be especially difficult when the people in our care are no longer able to enjoy the holidays they once loved.
What I've learned since then is that caregiving IS improv. Moods change, aging parents sometimes lose track of the here and now, young children resent it when they don't feel heard, and nobody likes hearing "no." Improv isn't a total cure-all, but its core is cooperation. Being a partner - a teammate - to the person you care for is infinitely preferable to being an authority figure or dictator, which is a role too many of us slip into.