You are not alone! Learn more about the topics Co-Create 4 Life specializes in through our educational blog. From arguing with your inner critic to a loving and kindness meditation, you can find various resources to help you along your caregiving journey.
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Autumn is probably my very favorite time of year, the colors are changing the whole landscape and the air is crisp, even with an occasional threat of frost. I love fall. This season give us a sense of urgency for what lies ahead. We’re not immersed in the holidays yet, but
What’s your go-to simple pleasure when you just need a little comfort in your life? Mine is coffee. I find it most comforting when I can drink it alone, in my sunroom, before anyone else in my household is awake. I can savor it with a little cream and steaming hot, brewed in
Lately, I’ve seen the prompt in several of the online communities where I’m active, “What’s one act of self-care you’ve embraced this week? And, as an advocate for self-care, I’m always glad to be pointed in the direction of taking action, I’m also struck by the “one-and-done” kind of thinking this sort
How do you react to information you don’t like (or want to hear)? Do you shoot the messenger? Do you take a deep breath and formulate a considered response? Often, our response lands somewhere in between those two.
It’s counter-intuitive but, in the midst of loss there is a unique opportunity for healing. I know this because I’ve seen it, time and time again. I’m participating in a Loss & Grief Circle this summer and among the things I’ve learned there, in that trusted, safe and sacred conversation is that loss is an inevitable consequence of being human.
Are you aching like I am over the devastating fires on Maui? Do you want to help, but aren’t sure how to show your support? Here’s an opportunity to be generous and also engage in honoring the current needs & ancient traditions of the islands:https://tinyurl.com/yc33ddm3
I’ve spent a lot of time this summer thinking about how to make food preparation easier, more convenient and healthier – all at once. Lately, I’ve been confronting the sad truth that my lust for convenience will often over-ride my good judgment and lead me to make selections that are anything but healthy.
Are you someone who’s created a vision-board for your heart’s desires? Have you made a collage of important quotations, key words and images that motivate you toward the goals you’ve set for your life? If so, then, you’ll likely understand the essence of this blog.
Some of the toughest road-blocks to imagining the future you want are the belief systems that limit your thinking and discourage you from imagining that you can have the life you want, or that you deserve to have that life!
There is a Facebook page I visit almost every day because it simply warms my heart to go there. You may have a similar page in your neighborhood, it is called: Buy Nothing Eden Prairie. The tag-line for the page (a private group) simply says: Give. Ask. Gratitude.
I just love my work. I know, that’s not something that everyone might say, but for me, it is simply true. When I had a corporate job I used to worry that I wouldn’t know how to be happy in retirement; work was so very much a part of my identity. Who would I be if I didn’t have a job??
I was reminded today that imagery is an important and readily available way to tap into the arena of the unconscious mind, making it conscious and inviting us to reach for what we imagine.
What’s an ordinary person to do who is experiencing pain but also needs to exercise? It’s no secret that there are many benefits to exercise – and there are many forms of exercise that offer uniquely different benefits, deciding on what is right for you is the challenge.
It’s the July 4th holiday weekend and we will all be busy with events and gatherings, fireworks and food-trucks, cook-outs and pool parties, time at the lake or in the lake – whatever fun you find this weekend, I hope you’ll take a moment to consider what we’re celebrating!
As I sit in the quiet of an early morning, here in my sunroom on a day when it isn’t really sunny, I’m struck by the amazing peacefulness I find in the silence. Quiet time is, for me, an important part of my self-care. Finding times when I can be alone, enjoying a cup of coffee, maybe a good book, or a simple view of nature from my deck – those are all “gifts” that I’ve come to cherish.
Today’s blog will emerge on Juneteenth, and this is the first year that this day, a day we celebrate the sweet taste of freedom, will be honored as a federal holiday. Juneteenth derives its name from combining June and nineteenth, it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order by Major General Gordon Granger proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865. This was a full 2.5 years AFTER the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Today, June 19th, Juneteenth, we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, and there’s something in this day for everyone, of any race or background, to celebrate!
Sometimes, life gets a little disorganized. You can’t find your keys, you forget it’s trash-day, you have to look up the address of a friend you visit on a regular basis – go figure!?! If you have kids, life is frequently disorganized (who has kids that put things where they
A lot of caregivers, while committed to the work of seeing a loved one through the journey of an illness, begin to feel as if their own lives are on hold. This is difficult at any age, but it can be particularly challenging for young people who find themselves eager to launch their careers and dreams but are caring for a parent or even a sibling who needs their constant supervision or support.
It is so sad to hear people talk (or admit that they think) about their lives as being postponed, put off, set aside or deferred in some way just because the demands of caregiving have limited their activities or require so much of their time. In other words, the work of caregiving has taken such precedence over other choices in life that we can begin to feel as if our OWN lives are missing in action, while we take care of someone else!
Even as Americans discuss the advantages of the four-day work-week, thanks to Representative Mark Takano, D-Calif., who introduced legislation which, if it passes, would reduce the standard workweek to 32 hours instead of 40, we’re also working more hours than ever.
The Guardian reports that compared with other countries, the American workplace record is not good. “In 2021, American employees worked 184 more hours than Japanese workers, 294 more hours than British workers, and 442 more hours than German workers. Unbelievably, in 2023 there are millions of Americans who work at jobs with no vacation time” (The Guardian).
Since its first recording, by Frank Sinatra in 1945, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” has been reinterpreted by many musicians, perhaps most recently by Josh Groban in 2015. Its lyrics are formed by a relatively short, 17-line poem, written as a song by Rogers & Hammerstein for musical Carousel.
This song reminds me so much of the nature of my work – certainly, when clients come to me they often feel VERY alone and completely overwhelmed by the caregiver roles they fill. This is true whether they are parents of a special-needs-child or the sole caregiver for a spouse with dementia. That sense of being alone is, in itself, depressing.
I’m working with a Health Coach myself (yes, even coaches need coaches!) who seems to appreciate my need to measure things. I’m one of those people who likes to see measurable improvement – to choose metrics that allow me to demonstrate progress, if not full completion, of a goal.
Sometimes, especially if we’re working on goals that feel particularly difficult, it can be important to at least see movement in the desired direction. Most of us can appreciate the fulfillment of getting to the finish line of a quick sprint, like the 100-yard-dash. But when you’re in a marathon you need benchmarks along the way to remind you that you’re actually doing it, and that the end will come, even if you can’t see it from your current spot on the route. That’s where metrics come in handy!
I help other caregivers – both professionals and family caregivers – acknowledge their pain and learn to practice the many small skills of self-care that can sustain them through the challenges of wholeheartedly caring for others.
Autumn is probably my very favorite time of year, the colors are changing the whole landscape and the air is crisp, even with an occasional threat …
What’s your go-to simple pleasure when you just need a little comfort in your life? Mine is coffee. I find it most comforting when I can drink it …
Lately, I’ve seen the prompt in several of the online communities where I’m active, “What’s one act of self-care you’ve embraced this week? And, as an advocate …
How do you react to information you don’t like (or want to hear)? Do you shoot the messenger? Do you take a deep breath and formulate a considered response? Often, our response lands somewhere in between those two.
Through Co-Create 4 Life, you will learn a range of well-being strategies from skillfully implementing self-care to holistic approaches to well-being, rebuilding resilience, and battling burnout. Book a free consultation call today to discuss your options.
Through Co-Create 4 Life, you will learn a range of well-being strategies from skillfully implementing self-care to holistic approaches to well-being, rebuilding resilience, and battling burnout. Book a free consultation call today to discuss your options.
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