Caregivers devote one-hundred percent of their energy and compassion to those they care for, who often cannot reciprocate. Caregiving can then become a draining and discouraging experience. There are ways to provide empathic care and still hold on to hope. By learning, making mistakes, getting creative, and staying aware of and clearing the buildup of negative energy and emotion, caregivers can become more resilient, while staying committed to effective self-care.

Warriors set aside their needs to meet the challenges they face. After the battle is over, warriors need time to heal to preserve themselves and their relationships. Caregivers also must diligently practice selfcare to preserve themselves, improve their resilience and prevent burnout. With caregiving, stress and negative energy can build up in the body. There are ways to clear this buildup, starting with becoming aware of the warning signs. Emotional reactivity and a number of physical ailments can reveal the need for caregivers to get support and use self-care.

Warriors set aside their needs to meet the challenges they face. After the battle is over, warriors need time to heal to preserve themselves and their relationships. Caregivers also must diligently practice self-care to preserve themselves and prevent burnout. Stress and negative energy buildup can be dealt with and transformed into positive, nourishing energy. Necessary steps to take include becoming aware of the warning signs of stress buildup, attunement to the physical sensations of stress in the body, and then decompression and release of negative energy. This is the path from stress to peace, and from resentment and burnout to compassion and caregiving satisfaction.

Caregivers must diligently practice self care to preserve themselves and prevent burnout. Caring for others in need can place a burden of stress and negative energy on a caregiver, which in turn can stimulate old stress and pain from their personal history. It is essential for a caregiver to know themselves and recognize the troubling emotions and physical sensations that build up in their bodies - warning signs that fatigue and depletion are catching up with them. With the right approach, caregiving can be a fulfilling source of nourishing, positive energy.

Resilient people who have come through hard times carry wounds which leave them vulnerable to panic reactions when challenges return. Under stress, these broken heroes need support and an advocate who can see things more objectively. Caregivers and advocates may carry their own wounds, as well. They must use self-care to stay strong and keep positive and hopeful attitudes toward life and hard times.

In hard times, we always have a choice of how to respond. Seeing through a "clear lens," choosing attitudes of humility, gratitude, hope and a willingness to learn, and avoiding self-pity will help us face our challenges with resilience. A focus on the "intangibles" in our lives, rather than the "tangibles," is essential for finding happiness, fulfillment and purpose.

Special guest Joe Foot - business owner, father of two daughters, former addict, and quadriplegic - joins us for an inspiring discussion of what motivates him every morning to get up, not give up. Joe describes the car accident that disabled him, and the change in his life from before and after. Joe struggles every day with his emotions, attitude, and physical limitations. His courage and determination to set a positive example and give to others keeps him on the road to victory.

Hard times come with pain and losses - of control, and of people and things we hold dear. Our emotional reactions can be intense, clouding our perspective and draining the energy we need to address our challenging circumstances. Facing and dealing with negative emotions like fear, anger, and despair is not easy. Working through our emotions, though, is essential for moving forward, growing and developing resilience. Sometimes we need help to recognize, accept and resolve our emotions. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but of strength.

Troubling emotions can interfere with our ability to navigate through adversity. Dealing with our anger, fear and pain requires us to develop awareness of these emotions and ways of expressing and resolving them. Our emotions can become so overwhelming that we need help and support to regain hope and perspective.

Guest Mimi Amaral returns to share her recipe for success in adversity. We clarify the concept of trauma and highlight its effects on our physical bodies. Other topics in this roundtable: unhealthy relationships; respite for caregivers, the importance of our "energy economy", and how to find the truth in ourselves and our situations.