Weight of the World

Welcome to Caregiver Friday!!

One of my favorite places to visit in New York City is Rockefeller Center.  There’s a huge status of Atlas carrying the world on his back that is magnificent and certainly for many a sign of the times.  It’s easy for a fictional character to carry the weight of the world on his/her back, but what about us real life mortals?  How is it possible that we come to a place in our lives when we are not only responsible for ourselves but the survival and well-being of others?

Now that I’ve laid this out those of you who are caregivers/wellness partners are probably feeling overwhelmed.  You probably saying  to yourself that you already knew all of this so why am I spelling it out in the post?  The truth of the matter is that when we keep things in our heads we’re the only one who hears it.  We think it, we talk to ourselves, we imagine scenarios as problem solving mechanisms to try and calm the mind, even if just for a moment.

When I put it out before you in black and white we take it to a whole new level.  It becomes conscious and present and something that each and every caregiver/wellness partner should be shouting from the rooftops…CAREGIVING IS HARD!  I’m not saying it’s not without its rewards; but it can be a difficult road to navigate.

I guess what I’m really saying is that it’s important to say things out loud.  It’s important that your voice be heard, with the patient, the doctors and with your own soul.  You have an opinion and it’s important to remember that when the patient got diagnosed, you got the same diagnosis.  You may not have to go through treatment and your existential issues are probably a bit different, but impermanence comes to the foreground.  Speak your truth, not in an aggressive manner, but in an assertive manner. 

Don’t be responsible for the world, cut loose that which is too burdensome and focus on what really counts.  Lighten the load when possible and find ways to build your physical, emotional, and spiritual endurance; it will save your life and increase your quality of life!