I know, like many families watching their loved ones change before their eyes and in the middle of also coping with a pandemic, this has been such a challenging year!  Still, I have seen firsthand how love is stronger than any sickness or disease!  I’ve watched my Mom step up in so many ways to care for my stepdad following his stroke. Of course there’s the usual doctor appointments, juggling taking care of the house, and finding the good. As their daughter, I do what I can to help out and here are some things that have come from angels everywhere and have helped me cope & rung true for me this year:

 

• Breathe!  Sending a signal to my body that “I’m OK” helps so much to slow down.

• Slowing down helps me to “act and not react.”

• It also buys me time to “pause and pray.”

• I like the acronym YAHOO as in You Always Have Other Options!

• Hang up the superhero cape. Asking for help is a great sign of strength and blesses others.

• Find the joy in every day and schedule time for things that “fill up your tank.”  Remember you can’t pour from an empty cup!

• Taking a walk lifts my spirits.

• Reminding myself I’m going to miss this one day no matter how stressful it seems today.

• Change “I have to“ to “I get to.”

• Lose the perfectionism!  We don’t get it right all the time.

• Build myself up by saying positive things to myself like “my best is good enough.”
  
   

Thanks for the opportunity to reflect and celebrate all the beauty of this year as well as living through the challenges!