Hi friends! Today, I’m over at my friend Jolene Philo’s blog with the second part of a series on the importance of self-care for caregivers that I’ve practiced for decades. I hope you’ll find some of these ideas helpful to you on your caregiving journey.

Jolene prefaces my piece with this:

The importance of self-care for caregivers is a reality Heather MacLaren Johnson has learned to deal with in her own life. She shared that story In Part 1 of this series. Today she finishes the series with specific, practical ideas for caregivers like you and me.

And now, here’s the beginning of my post:

In February, I wrote about a lesson learned from fighting conchs washed up on the shore, desperate for compassionate, gentle care. As caregivers for family with special needs, it’s easy to neglect our own mental, physical, and relational needs—something that is detrimental for all.

Over the twenty-five years of raising three kids with invisible disabilities, I’ve learned the importance of self-care for caregivers. These mental, physical, and relational self-care practices are helpful to me. I hope they can help you too.

Mental Health

• Challenge your thoughts. Is what you’re saying to yourself or another true? Regardless of feelings, focus on truth because truth sets us free.
• Be gentle with self-talk. Perhaps thoughts or actions need adjustment, but judgment is not only unnecessary, it’s unhealthy for us and others.
• Avoid the poison of comparison. Everyone has their own path, and every life is precious.
• If you need help, get help. Self-advocacy for mental health is a sign of strength, not weakness. Depression and anxiety have many root causes. There’s no need to feel shame. (You can use my motto, if it’ll help: Others’ opinions of me are none of my business.) It’s true!
• Practice gratitude. Focus on what you do have more than on what you don’t

To read more about physical and relational health, join me at Jolene’s.