Self Care and Soul Care for the Caregiver

This is episode 29, and it's a soul-care focused episode. We're finding hope for the days we don't feel seen, we don't feel appreciated. It's officially summertime now, and the days can feel slow, with the same routine and each day turning too quickly into the next day. You are keeping at it though, day after day, doing what's best for your family—folding laundry, cooking meals, changing diapers, listening to detailed descriptions about video game plots, making phone calls, organizing paperwork ... But because my family members are so comfortable in the routine I work hard to maintain, they can take it for granted. That can make me feel taken for granted. I can spiral into feeling unseen and unappreciated. And what grows from that seed is frustration, resentment, or even me pouting a little until someone does notice me and all my hard work.

That isn't a cycle I want to keep repeating this summer. I want a breakthrough! And I know what will bring that breakthrough—the truth of God's Word and His love for me. Even more than that, His delight in me! So today we're going to talk about El Roi, the God who sees, because friends, He sees you even when it feels like no one else does.

In episode we're talking about the five goals I want to meet every day this summer and the apps that are helping me reach those goals! If you're like me, your rhythms are all out of sync right now and you need a little help remembering what is most important and getting those priorities done each day. Plus, since we're talking about helpful apps, I'm also sharing four I use every day, three I'm learning to use, and two I almost forgot how to use since we haven't needed them during the pandemic. I hope my recommendations are helpful to you as we manage our homes and families through the summer months.

Today we're going to talk about self-care for peacemakers. Peacemaking is different from peace keeping, and it takes more mental and emotional energy. I want to make it clear my advice will be most helpful to people like me—those who may be stepping into this space for the first time. We're speaking up and showing up in new ways and that is likely leading to more tension in your relationships with family and friends than you're used to. So let's talk about how to care for ourselves during this time so we can be strong advocates for the long road ahead and not burnout when the hashtags change.

This week's sponsor, Rising Above's upcoming conference for female caregivers called By the Brook! It's happening virtually on June 26th and 27th. Just register for free by visiting www.risingaboveministries.org/bythebrook

We're all reemerging at different speeds from a season of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. But instead of feeling freedom and optimism, many of us are facing new challenges. One of those challenges is being overwhelmed by having choices again and then feeling judged for the choices we'll be making for our families. If that feels hard for you right now like it does for me, this episode is here to help. We're going to talk about how to be confident in the decisions we will make by battling against two big enemies when it comes to decision making: fear and guilt.

The sponsor for this week's episode is By the Brook, a virtual conference for female caregivers hosted by my friends at Rising Above Ministries! Be sure to listen all the way to the end of the episode to find out how to register for free!

This is episode 25, and today I'm sharing encouragement for the times you feel like a failure at the end of the day. Have you had a day like that lately? I certainly have. But I've also found hope for those days. Let's look together at how Jesus treated His disciple Peter when Peter felt like a failure at the end of a long series of days in his life. Shame didn’t have the final say in Peter’s life and it doesn’t in our lives either. You are more than the mistakes you’ve made or the weaknesses you feel. His love meets you where you are and gently reminds you of your identity in Him.

Emotions are at an all time high right now, and many of us are tempted to do one of two things: push our feelings down and repress them or let them take over and determine what we believe to be true. I tend to repress my feelings, but they all came bubbling up as we experienced our toughest week in years. Thankfully, there's no emotion we experience that isn't reflected in Scripture. In today's episode we're going to open to Job, the Psalms, and Jeremiah as we feel all the feels and turn them over to God.

On this special Mother's Day episode, I've asked Becky Davidson from Rising Above Ministries to join me as we talk about finding joy when our circumstances don't meet our expectations. Becky is one of my favorite encouragers, and I'm excited to share her message with you today.

You can find the show notes at sandrapeoples.com/thepodcast, including a link to the free conference Becky and I discuss at the end of the episode! You don't want to miss it!

I've been doing a little soul-care lately and realized there are stories I've been believing about myself that just aren't true, or at least they don't have to be true anymore. Maybe you can relate? Is there something you believe about yourself that may not necessarily be true anymore? Something you've held onto for years, since childhood even, that you've accepted as fact that maybe isn't? We're going to dive into that topic today and ask God to remind of His truth in our lives, even over our personalities and patterns. I'll share some of my stories, the silly and the serious, and hopefully we can change our way of thinking together and tell ourselves better stories as we navigate new seasons in our lives.

Today we're talking about fixing the "broken windows" around our houses. I don't mean the actual broken windows. I'm referring to the Broken Windows theory. Even though it's controversial as a predictor of crime (which I'll explain in the episode), it's certainly true in our homes. And since right now we're in our homes more than usual, it's a good time to pay attention to take action. So let's jump into our discussion today about the theory, how it applies to our homes, and what we can do about it. 

In this episode, Sandra talks about the important but sensitive subject of self-care during your menstrual cycle. She shares from her own experiences through puberty and pregnancy, looks at what Scripture says about God's design for our bodies as women, and gives specific self-care suggestions when you're on your period. Working with your body during this time instead of against it will help you appreciate God's good design and help you work through the entire 28-day cycle with more energy and grace for yourself!

Find the transcript and show notes at sandrapeoples.com/thepodcast