This post was written in partnership with Depend® brand. All opinions are my own.
Since 2016, National Caregivers Day has been observed on the third Friday in February.
I meet and talk to people all the time who don’t even call themselves a caregiver. In my eyes, you are a caregiver if you are helping any other individual with some regular cadence of assistance. Caregivers can be in a formally hired paid position (aka a professional caregiver) or can be a more, informal, unpaid volunteer (aka a family caregiver or a care partner). You can live with this person or be states away. The person you are caring for can be a child with special needs or a sick, elderly, or disabled individual.
No matter what your situation, chances are if you are a caregiver, you are likely often over-looked and under-appreciated.
I want this post to validate the role you are doing. My hunch is that you just don’t realize how amazing you are. So, I’m here to tell you that what you do matters and why.
11 Affirmations for Caregivers
- Caregiver, you show up often when no one else does. You drop everything when you get a critical call to be with your care recipient. You are committed to your role.
- Caregiver, you are wise. You research and work diligently to understand all the options your care recipient has to live their best life. You take copious notes about medical instruction, family history, and ensure all perspectives and viewpoints are considered. You are learning new terminology, new treatments, and how to successfully navigate our fragmented healthcare system.
- Caregiver, you are relentless. You face the tough questions and bring up the courageous conversations. You push the health professionals to provide the best care for your care recipient. You choose optimal times to discuss end of life planning so your care recipient can have peace of mind.
- Caregiver, you are human. You struggle to care for your own health and happiness while caring for others. You sometimes feel guilty that you aren’t in pain, confined, or dying. Luckily, you have fans like Happy Healthy Caregiver who are reminding you how important it is to care for yourself. Your life is valuable AND so many people are counting on you keeping your energy up and your immunity optimal.
- Caregiver, you are a hard worker who isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty. You roll up your sleeves and dive into wound care, personal care, and many stinky and messy situations. You de-stigmatize and normalize conversations around taboo topics, such as incontinence. And you’re not afraid to connect with others to offer advice and answer questions. In The Incontinence Community, a private Facebook group sponsored by Depend, you can continue these conversations and learn from others who care for those with incontinence, as well as those who experience it.
- Caregiver, you are part of the support system for other caregivers. When you share your personal struggles and stories. Others are inspired and encouraged because they no longer feel isolated and overwhelmed. Your stories are a form of advocacy for change. Policies and benefits at a corporate, state, and federal level are all prompted from somewhere. Keep speaking up!
- Caregiver, you are enough. You give out so much of your time, physical energy and emotional capacity to others. Look in the mirror and at the end of each day give yourself some grace, self-love, compassion, and forgiveness. Recognize it’s okay to not be okay sometimes.
- Caregiver, you are courageous! You perform procedures with little to no training. You explore new alternatives. You face your worst fears head on.
- Caregiver, you are a problem solver. You don’t sit back, wait and watch. Rather, you dive into the healing and helping. You are often up at first watch and frequently the last person standing.
- Caregiver, you are resilient. Your life gets twisted around and turned upside down and you carry on. Your caregiving journey requires you to cope with a crisis, adapt to a situation, and be ready for anything.
- Caregiver, you are creative. You find joy and gratitude in the little things like a sunny day, a few moments of solitude, the sound of laughter, or a ‘good day’ for your care recipient. Keep on keeping on and looking for what’s good in each day.
Why the Caregiver Jar Was Created
Back in 2016, when the primary care for my mom was being transitioned to my sister Susie, I wanted to do something nice for Susie. I was going to be states away, and I felt like I was dropping a huge boulder in my sister’s lap. Susie was already in the midst of a major life transition. She was just starting to learn what life after divorce and as an empty nester was starting to feel like.
I created a homemade Happy Healthy Caregiver Jar as a gift for her. I collected all my favorite inspirational and motivating quotes and sayings. After typing them up, I cut up the slips of paper and put them in a glass mason jar with some confetti inside. On the top of the jar, it said #sisterpower – a hashtag my two sisters and I started using back in 2014 when our parents’ health spiral started to spin out of control.
Here are a few of the affirming slips of paper you’ll find in the Happy Healthy Caregiver Jar:
You have the option to purchase the Caregiver Jar Inserts PDF and create your own version of the Happy Healthy Caregiver Jar. A special thanks to a Certified Caregiving Consultant client for this new PDF idea!
Free Caregiver Affirmation Printable
But wait there’s more!
You can read this post and be affirmed for a day or you can print out this poster and be affirmed daily!
