These warm summer months present a time when we feel a bit more relaxed. It
is a time to slow down- even while working. When we look at travel ads and
see photos of people having fun, caregivers may have a reluctance, actual
dislike, or even a fear of vacations.
People sometimes build up months of vacation time because unstructured
time off is something few of us allow ourselves. Time alone, without
socially approved purpose, spent on nurturing the self is something caregivers
usually need to give themselves permission to enjoy.
In Anne Morrow Lindbergh's book Gift From The Sea she states,"It is not
physical solitude that actually separates one from others, not physical
isolation, but spiritual isolation. It is not the desert island nor the stony
wilderness that cuts you off from the people you love; it is the wilderness
in the mind, the desert wastes in the heart through which one wanders lost
and a stranger. When one is a stranger to oneself than one is estranged
from others too."
When finding ways to reconnect with yourself nurture your inner spiritual
being. Simple answers often work the best. Take time off without fear. Plant
a garden, play music, make jam, walk by a pond, try flower arranging or
take naps. Do the things you may have enjoyed long ago. Do something new and
different to enhance your inner peace. Give to yourself, you are worth it.
Jennifer Warner B.S.Nursing, Gerontologist and Certified Nutritionist
Available for Private consultation 916-685-2900
Caregiver Support - Nutritional Counseling - Hospice Nursing
Family Mediation - Respite Care - Grief Counseling
For class reservations and information call Midtown Massage and Wellness Center
916-492-0725