“Take your time healing, as long as you want. Nobody else knows what you’ve been through. How could they know how long it will take to heal you?”—Abertoli. Meet Wendy: “Mom passed away on May 12th. My family came down for two weeks from South Carolina. They took me on a three-day vacation to Key West, Florida. I enjoyed it, but at the same time, my heart was breaking because she was not there with me. “I still cry every day. I try to avoid letting anyone see me cry, but the crying comes out of nowhere, and so does the sadness. No one understands my feelings unless they have…

“Above all things, never think that you’re not good enough yourself. A man should never think that. My belief is that in life people will take you at your own reckoning.”—Issac Asimov. Michelle’s Story: “My mum moved into residential care two weeks ago, and she loves it. She has company and is well cared for. “I fully supported her decision. But my brothers? Oh no! One stopped talking to me. The other doesn’t understand why I haven’t found a job yet and moved out of the family home, and he wants me to pay for Mum’s residential care. “According to my brothers, I can never do anything right. And they…

“Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.”—Albert Schweitzer. Are you caring for an ill loved one—a parent, child, or sibling? If so, you are one of the 53 million US adults doing so. You are a “Family Caregiver.” Shelly’s Story: “Mom is becoming increasingly incontinent. She hates being cleaned up and changed. She insists on keeping her soaked in Depends diaper. She fights me tooth and nail when I am trying to help her. She screams, cries, and gets us both worked up. “I know this is due to the disease, but in the heat of the moment,…

“We cannot become peacemakers without communication. Silence is a passive-aggressive grenade thrown by insecure people who don’t want the accountability of starting it.” Shannon L. Alder. Meet Barbara: “Rant alert! As if caring for your loved ones through terminal illness or behavior issues isn’t bad enough—or even navigating health care systems that promise to offer help but are broken, at best. “But what gets me is when your f*****g siblings can’t find any f*****g compassion or consideration or even give you a f*****g chance to get back up on your feet after you’ve been knocked down time and time again for years—whether it be emotionally, physically, financially or mentally. “My…

“Myths are public dreams, dreams are private myths.”—Joseph Campbell. What is myth? “A widely held but false belief or idea.”—Oxford Languages According to Oxford Languages, other popular terms for myth are misconception, fallacy, mistaken belief, false notion, and misbelief. Myths are stories that create stereotypes. Stereotypes are only valid if we allow them to affect the way we live. Example: Older women are content to stay home, chat with friends, shop online, and watch soap operas on TV. Does it not anger you to hear that many consider older women irrelevant, unmotivated, and unimportant?!? How dare they!!! Yes, such beliefs get me riled up! Have you heard the stories about…

Emily writes: “I’m beyond furious right now! Both Mom and Grammy are irresponsible with money. Without my knowledge, they let the power bill slip for a couple of months. Mom made a small payment in December, barely enough to leave a dent in the bill. “Mom had an appointment today that was three hours away, and Grammy was nice enough to take her so I could sleep in. I woke up and discovered the power had turned off! The house’s temperature was already down to fifty-seven and continued to drop. We had an electric stove, so I couldn’t cook. “All but three dollars of my check went to rent this…

“Don’t waste your energy trying to change opinions … do your thing, and don’t care if they don’t like it.”—Tina Fey Marsha’s story: “I worked on my idea to start a relationship coaching business for months. “I finally completed coaches training, awarded my credential, and had marketing ideas to attract clients. “However, I started to have self-doubts. After all, I was a divorced mother of three children. Who was I to offer my services as a relationship coach? “What if I fail? “I lost my nerve and my confidence.” What is confidence? The word “confidence” originates from the Latin word confidere, which means “to believe in yourself completely” or “to…

“There are only four kinds of people in the world: Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.”—Rosalyn Carter There are numerous family caregiver stories—one for every family caregiver. And exactly how many family caregivers are there? Key Facts: In 2020, 41.8 million Americans provided unpaid care to an adult over the age of 50. That’s nearly 17% of the U.S. adult population. 89% of caregivers care for a relative or other loved one, such as a spouse. 7 hours per week is the average time caregivers spend providing unpaid care for loved ones they don’t…

By: Hazel Bridges, Guest Blogger Navigating the aftermath of loss requires resilience and a deliberate approach to healing. Establishing goals conducive to well-being is not just beneficial; it is necessary for regaining balance. This article delves into actionable strategies to construct a foundation for recovery in the face of grief. Creating a Structured Routine Amidst the turmoil that loss can bring, establishing a daily routine is akin to introducing a compass in a storm, offering direction and a semblance of order. Consistent routines serve as anchors, providing a rhythm to our days that brings solace and a predictable structure during times of upheaval. This consistency becomes a source of comfort,…

“I got my own back.”—Maya Angelou A person’s true beauty, or handsomeness, does not depend upon physical form. Though it may sound corny, the inner person makes one either attractive or disliked. Do you accept yourself the way you are? “Self-image is the personal view, or mental picture, that we have of ourselves. Self-image is an ‘internal dictionary’ that describes the characteristics of the self, including such things as intelligent, beautiful, ugly, talented, selfish, and kind.”—Cleveland Clinic.org What is your self-image? Would you like to change or improve your self-image? Creating a positive self-image is essential for your mental and emotional well-being. In this article, I will share seven (7)…