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Burnout is easy to identify if you really reflect on your thoughts, actions, and the words you say to yourself or others. 

Words you say:  

• Things will be ok when my loved one feels better
• I just have to get through the next week and I have a day off to catch up.

Actions:  

• You feel exhausted, emotional or irritable.  A little challenge sets you off - ie:  driving the car, or forgetting the keys, or you snappping at your loved one.
• Your to-do list stresses you out.  You try to replan it but the load is still too heavy

Thoughts:

• You think about escaping.  wish you could pack your bag and run away
• You don’t like your loved one (resentment) and then you feel guilty for feeling this way 

But the reality is that you are a caregiver.  The universe is not conspiring against you, no one is trying to put these road blocks in your way intentionally   Caregiving and its challenges are just happening.  How you choose to look at things- ultimately determines your stress level. 

But if you let the stress get the best of you - it will lead to burnout.  And there is a cost to burnout. 

 So the big question is,  how do you show up as an effective and passionate caregiver , and not burn out.

Grab the show notes here  ➡️ https://www.cathylvan.com/episode116

Download  ➡️   3 Stages of Caregiver Overwhelm

Take the      ➡️ Caregiver Quiz

Join the Caregiver Cup Circle  ❤️ https://www.cathylvan.com/caregivercircle
The small group meets every other Tuesday.  We would love to have you!

>>CONNECT WITH CATHY ON INSTAGRAM @cathylynnvan for daily tips and inspiration
https://instagram.com/cathylynnvan/

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In today's episode, I'm sharing a story where I overcame my biggest fears and the lessons I learned about mindset.   These lessons regarding fear, the stories we tell ourselves and reframing your mindset have helped me as a caregiver too.    Hope you enjoy it.  

As a caregiver, I want you to reflect on these questions:

• what fears stand in your way?
• what stories are you telling yourself?
• how could you reframe your thoughts?
• what does your new normal look like?
• what shifts do you have to make to feel good about your new normal? Grab the show notes and full episode transcript here?

 ➡️ https://www.cathylvan.com/episode115

Join the Caregiver Cup Circle  ❤️ https://www.cathylvan.com/caregivercircle
The small group meets every other Tuesday.  We would love to have you!

>>CONNECT WITH CATHY ON INSTAGRAM @cathylynnvan for daily tips and inspiration
https://instagram.com/cathylynnvan/

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Send Cathy a text:)

I was really debating how to start this podcast this week.  Meaning should I do the cautious and gentle start or should I just come out and say it.   Well since I care so deeply for you and i know you need to hear this, I am not going to sugar coat it.   You may disagree with me and that’s ok.  Our roles of caregiving are very different and our situations are very different.  But what is the same is that we control our mindset and we can choose how we think and feel.  

So, here it is:   Many people say, I am just going to survive and it’s all about survival during this caregiving season.    I disagree.   It’s not like you are on a little boat in the middle of the ocean with sharks around you.  It’s not like you’re stuck in a blizzard in your car and buried.  

I know these are extreme examples.    But I hope you get it.   

Your loved one may be in an extreme situation and trying to make it one more day.  But YOU can make micro changes and shifts to help yourself.  

But in your defense and mine as well, we may not be able to see that.  It may be so hard, so dark, so intense, that we say things like - I can’t, there is no other choice, I’m stuck, this is my life or it is what it is.   

Grab the show notes and full episode transcript here.
 ➡️ https://www.cathylvan.com/episode114

Join the Caregiver Cup Circle  ❤️ https://www.cathylvan.com/caregivercircle
The small group meets every other Tuesday.  We would love to have you!

>>CONNECT WITH CATHY ON INSTAGRAM @cathylynnvan for daily tips and inspiration
https://instagram.com/cathylynnvan/

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Send Cathy a text:)

In this episode, we're talking about something we don’t normally talk about but it is something we think about more often than necessary.    When things don’t go well or when challenges happen, our brain likes to go to that “bad” side. It’s funny how our brains like to think the worst and we spend all that time in our heads with negativity, anxiety, sadness and worry.  

One of the biggest mistakes I see caregivers make when they are juggling it all and extremely exhausted is that they start giving in to the overwhelm and their own stress.

Why do you think the worst?  Why are you so hard on ourselves?    Stop beating yourself up for something you  forgot or missed.

 Grab the show notes and full episode transcript here. 
 ➡️ https://www.cathylvan.com/episode113

Join the Caregiver Cup Circle  ❤️ https://www.cathylvan.com/caregivercircle
The small group meets every other Tuesday.  We would love to have you!

>>CONNECT WITH CATHY ON INSTAGRAM @cathylynnvan for daily tips and inspiration
https://instagram.com/cathylynnvan/

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Send Cathy a text:)

I had the complete pleasure of interviewing Kelly Carthy.   She has over 20 years experience working with influential business leaders and organizations around the world.   Kelly is passionate about facilitating and empowering change. By delivering key strategies that support leaders to be more present and discerning so they can drive effective outcomes with less clutter and confusion.

In our conversation together, she shared her powerful story of where things were falling apart. It was so bad that she was losing her hair, anxiety and panic attacks and she was in denial.  You will hear how it took years to recover - but she did.  Kelly shares so many good tips and powerful statements that I listened to this several times to capture it all.  

Just a few  of many great points she shares:  

"We're not really great at receiving. We lack receiving our own gifts. When that balance tips, and we're constantly in that giving space. We feel like there's never enough time."

"I was looking after the one thing that I do have control over, and that was my myself. I have to find a way or there is a way. There's always a way there's always another way."

"Caregivers are overwhelmed. Yeah. If they're stuck and they're overwhelmed, I would absolutely take an approach that I take myself and I take with every single client who's in that stuck space. It's what I call the Slingshot method. Oh, if you can physically do this even better, but you slow down, you take the space, you step back and you lift yourself up above your."

Kelly is an international self-leadership strategist, keynote speaker, mindset coach and published writer, Kelly’s ability to transition you from the ‘doing’ to the ‘being’ to live purposeful, present and successful life is at her core. 

 Through highly personalized mentoring and coaching programs you’re empowered to unearth hidden clues, insights to create easy to implement strategies to balance your day-to-day through self-leadership and a whole new way of being. I believe self-leadership is about taking ownership of our lives and understanding the importance of undoing a busy life in order to create a space for being well, managing responsibilities and commitments without falling victim to burnout, guilt and judgement in the process.

Grab the show notes and full episode transcript here.   ➡️ https://www.cathylvan.com/episode112

Get more information on Kelly Carthy
➡️  https://www.kellycarthy

Join the Caregiver Cup Circle  ❤️ https://www.cathylvan.com/caregivercircle
The small group meets every other Tuesday.  We would love to have you!

>>CONNECT WITH CATHY ON INSTAGRAM @cathylynnvan for daily tips and inspiration
https://instagram.com/cathylynnvan/

Support the show

Send Cathy a text:)

One of the biggest mistakes caregivers make is they go into caregiving with a big heart and know they need to do what it takes to help their loved one.    

What happens…  you’re all in?  Care, Care, Care?  Give, Give, Give?

You get so involved in what you need to do, then you realized it’s a lot.   What do you do?  

You drop or let go of the things that you feel aren’t necessary or you just need the time and prioritize.   You're cancelling your personal appointments.  You stop going to the gym or working out (saves you an hour a day).   Those fun activities are not longer an option (lunch with friends, date nights, your favorite pottery class).  You adjust your work schedule and are working late nights and weekends to keep up. 

What happens is that you have this big heart filter going on - meaning you put yourself last.  You only see the importance of taking care of your loved one.  They need you.  You say "I can’t possibly do anything else right now".  

It seems logical and the right thing to do.     But at what cost?  Is this sustainable?

 Grab the show notes and full episode transcript here.   ➡️ https://www.cathylvan.com/episode111

Grab this resource that I referenced in this episode:
➡️  https://www.cathylvan.com/caregiverstress

Join the Caregiver Cup Circle  ❤️ https://www.cathylvan.com/caregivercircle
The small group meets every other Tuesday.  We would love to have you!

>>CONNECT WITH CATHY ON INSTAGRAM @cathylynnvan for daily tips and inspiration
https://instagram.com/cathylynnvan/

Support the show

Send Cathy a text:)

I get a lot of questions from clients and caregivers curious about how I manage my caregiver stress, continue to keep going and find moments of joy each day.  In today's episode, I'm sharing my 6 personal habits / routines that I do to release my caregiver stress.   Before I started implementing these,  my stress and anxiety were causing burnout and fatigue which turned into health issues. 

Grab the show notes and full episode transcript here.   ➡️ https://www.cathylvan.com/episode110

Listen to these episodes that I reference :
➡️  https://www.cathylvan.com/episode105
➡️  https://www.cathylvan.com/episode109

Join the Caregiver Cup Circle  ❤️ https://www.cathylvan.com/caregivercircle
Enroll by May 10 to get in the May Group
If after May 10, you can enroll in the June Group.

>>CONNECT WITH CATHY ON INSTAGRAM @cathylynnvan for daily tips and inspiration
https://instagram.com/cathylynnvan/

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One of the biggest challenges I hear from other caregivers is they feel isolated and lonely.  You might even say  "I feel like no one gets it".  " I feel so disconnected."   " I miss my old life."   Then you scroll social media feeling more isolated and even jealous of others enjoying life and you are stuck.      

You find yourself so busy that you don’t have time for anything else.  Juggling your job/business, household, family and caregiving is all you can handle. 

It’s important to be on the lookout for your social isolation.  Here are some things to consider:

• Have you stopped your usual social activities and routines?
• Do you seem to have dropped all other responsibilities outside of caregiving?
• Do you purposely avoid outside interactions if there are other ways?  And if you have to leave, do you feel anxiety or stress thinking about it?  
• Do you complain that your other family members are not helping enough?
• Are you always feel tired or worried?
• Do you have a chronic health condition such as depression, anxiety or failing memory.
• Are you declining invitations  with friends even when you can make it work out?  

So how to you overcome it?  

Catch the show notes and full episode transcript here:  ➡️  https://www.cathylvan.com/episode109

Listen to these episode that I reference :
➡️  https://www.cathylvan.com/episode13
➡️  https://www.cathylvan.com/episode40

Join the Caregiver Cup Circle  ❤️ https://www.cathylvan.com/caregivercircle
Enrollment ends May 9

>>CONNECT WITH CATHY ON INSTAGRAM @cathylynnvan for daily tips and inspiration
https://instagram.com/cathylynnvan/

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Send Cathy a text:)

In today’s podcast, I talk more about what is caregiver energy, finding your energy, and ways to maintain your energy while you are juggling all you responsibilities 

What is energy in terms of your personal energy to perform your caregiver responsibilities, your job, household and anything else you need to get done each day.  

Why is finding your energy so important and to keep a steady flow of energy that keeps you healthy,  performing at your best and able to enjoy your new normal. 

Tips to finding your energy and maintaining your energy. 
 
Grab the show notes and full episode transcript here;
➡️  https://www.cathylvan.com/episode108

Listen to these episodes to take your caregiving to the next level:
➡️ https://www.cathylvan.com/episode100
➡️ https://www.cathylvan.com/episode60

CONNECT WITH CATHY ON INSTAGRAM @cathylynnvan for daily tips and inspiration.
https://instagram.com/cathylynnvan/

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As caregivers, we make assumptions and let our negative thoughts tell us that we have to be a martyr or stop enjoying life.  We convince ourselves that we have to give up happiness and joy.  Life is now full of sadness, challenges and difficulties.   Some of that is true and the good news is: joy is possible, even in your caregiver season.  It’s also one of the most important mindsets and practices you need right now.  

• Joy makes you resilient.  
• Joy makes us resistant. 
• Joy makes you healthy

What's the difference between happy and joy?  People favor happiness.  But should happiness be our priority over joy?  I don’t think so.  Happiness is a fleeting emotion based on external circumstances.  But, If you’re laughing with friends, you have both happiness and joy.  Versus joy is an internal positivity that’s connected to hope. It’s the feeling that everything will turn out okay.  With joy, you don’t have to put on a happy face.  You can be joyful in the midst of the toughest situations.  

You and I don’t live in a happy world right now.  Our world is filled with sadness, difficulties, and challenges.   With joy as your priority, the hope that things will be ok, this season will not be forever and right now you are providing a beautiful gift to your loved one - will help you push to your best self.  

Joy is what you need now more than ever.

Experiencing joy while caregiving isn’t always easy, but I believe it’s more than just a nice thing to do: It’s a crucial to your well-being.  Every moment of joy fills your cup a bit so you can keep going. And a little bit of fun can go a long way to relieve stress, motivate, activate and connect — as well as relieve boredom.

During this season in your life, at times it may feel as if you’re in auto pilot as you move through your day to day responsibilities of caring for a loved one. It may feel as if you have forgotten what makes your heart sing with joy. And you may even suppress it out of guilt or resentment. Infusing joy and laughter back into your life will help you better deal with the stress of being a caregiver. Laughter specifically strengthens your immune system and releases certain 'feel good” endorphins.

Cathy's tips to finding joy   (Screen print this and share on your social media and tag me @cathylynnvan telling me what sparks your joy. ) 

• Create a joyful journal.  
• Write a joyful mantra to post on your computer or refrigerator to say each morning. 
• Celebrate. Find ways to celebrate. 
• Eat joyously. 
• Exercise always boosts your mood.  
• Surround yourself with happy, vibrant friends and family
• Be joyous around your loved one. 
• Cultivate gratitude. 
• Enjoy music, movies, and/or a sporting event
• Enjoy a hobby.
• Children, Grandchildren, Pets
• Find joy with your loved one too

Notice your  little moments of joy in every day. Make an effort to be mindful of the joy that you might be missing when your mind is racing and your challenges are overwhelming.  Being creative and open to the humorous, joyful moments will help you face the tougher aspects of caregiving.

Let yourself explore joy as a caregiver.   Your joy matters!

Did you hear my exciting news coming soon.        I’m starting The Caregiver Cup Circle which is a small intimate group which meets two times a month via Zoom for 3 months.   I’m limiting the group size to 10 ladiesSo if you are feeling lonely, this group may be just what you need.   If interested email me at [email protected] or DM me @cathylynnvan

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