One Habit To Change Your Year – Gratitude Practice
Happy New Year! As we move into 2022, we want to take the time to remind you to be gentle with yourself. Often New Year’s means new resolutions, but when you feel like you are pouring from an empty glass, like many of our caregivers do, but can be hard to make new plans and goals. We aim to simplify this in our blog, 3 Resolutions for the Burnout Caregiver, but sometimes even 3 resolutions are TOO MUCH. And, while we are big believers in setting goals and achieving them, sometimes it’s okay to take your foot off the gas and be. It has been said that the key to feeling whole in life is to be content with what you have right now.
Caregiver Burnout is Real
Being a caregiver can be a thankless job, and make it hard to reflect on the good things. This year, actually scratch that, today… TODAY we encourage you to think about three things you are grateful for. Big or small, writing down three things you are grateful for daily can be a life-changing habit. It will Shift your energy to an energy of appreciation and kindness.
- Start a Gratitude Journal. Think of three things daily that you are grateful for and write them down. They can be big or small, it doesn’t matter just record them. A lot of people recommend starting each day with a gratitude practice, we are fans of the habit, but if you forget to start the day with it, it’s okay. Maybe you like to end the day by writing things down, or maybe you’re a lunchtime recorder- who cares, just remember to write it down. Writing down things we are grateful for helps to shift our energy into a vibration of love.
- Create a Gratitude Jar. This is a great practice to do together with a loved one. You’ll need an empty clear jar, our downloadable template, and a pen. Once a day, or whenever the moment hits you, write down on a piece of paper 3 things you are grateful for. Put it in the jar, and have your partner do the same. You’ll begin to get a visual of all the things you are grateful for because the scraps of paper will accumulate fast! Even better, you can dump out the jar on a day you need a boost or maybe at the end of every month and review with your loved one.
We hope this inspires you to create a gratitude practice of your own, but we know you are busy. To make it easier we have a Gratitude Journal & Gratitude Jar Templates available for download by clicking here.
You must make this ritual your own, but first, you just need to start. The time of day, location, and routine will all be unique to you. Let it morph and evolve as you become more comfortable with it.
At Sunways, we’re grateful for YOU and our community of Caregivers who are sharing their hearts daily with the ones they love. As you head into the New year, remember we are a FREE service for families. We are here to help with senior living placement and resources, we advocate for our families to be sure their loved ones receive the best care.
