Another new year is upon us. Happy New Year 2025!
I hope you all had Happy Holidays whatever you celebrate and are settling in to more normal times. The news was scary yesterday with the terrorist attack in New Orleans and the explosion of the Tesla truck in Las Vegas in front of Trump Tower. I hope this is not an indication of how 2025 is going to go!!! Hoping for a much more peaceful year throughout the world!
Dealing with aging relatives and being sandwiched between caring for them and your growing children and or grandchildren presents enough challenges and issues! Please be sure to take time for YOU! Make that one of your goals, intentions, and even resolutions for this new year. Resolutions tend to fade quickly as a new year presents itself, so I really tend to push the ideas of goals and intentions. These you can revisit daily, weekly or monthly and make them actually happen! Self care is so very important as you cannot give from an empty well.You must take time out and do something to replenish your strength and energy!Â
One way of working on self-care is to journal about your experiences. Journals can be private and personal or you can choose to share them with your trusted humans. They often carry a connotation of being something more complex that you may feel you do not have time for with your overwhelming responsibilities. But might I suggest an easy one for you…
I needed something short and simple for myself and from my memory banks as a nurse I dug out some ideas to design my own. Something that I have always suggested to new and seasoned nurses is to write down those moments with patients that make your day. Of course nurses have to be acutely aware of confidentiality and HIPAA regulations, so we have to get creative about capturing the moment and keeping the details secret. I hope I have made a journal that could work for you as well.Â
There are plenty of pages for each month of a calendar year. Each month there is one page for jotting down Daily Gratitudes. Just a word or phrase that makes sense to you.Â
Then there a few lined pages for the month to write a few short sentences or paragraphs about good memories as they happen. One thing I know for certain about caring for my aging parents and in-laws as well as adult children and grandchildren is that during overwhelming and stressful time, you don’t remember things as clearly. Some of the great moments might be in there somewhere, but my brain seems like it lost them. Taking just a few minutes before bedtime even just to write down a few cryptic notes helps me hang on to things I do remember from the past as well as new memories from each day.Â
Journaling can actually help you to relax and release tension, stress and emotions. It can also help you to brainstorm and find solutions, and share the successes you have experienced in dealing with aging parents. Bookmark important passages so you can look back and see how well you have managed the journey, important memories, and tips for making your journey easier!
My Self-Care Journal is available on Amazon.com in paperback format. The price was recently reduced. If you make a purchase, I’d greatly appreciate it if you’d come back and write a quick review. Or drop a comment here. And of course share the link with someone you know who could use some self-care too!Â
Here’s to a more stress-free new year!
Happy 2025!
 