1 . HONOUR YOURSELF – SLOW DOWN ( awareness phase )
It ’ s a very human response to feel like you must keep going to stay in control , but slowing down helps us to come back into our awareness . It ’ s the only way we can reach our rational brain and ask ourselves “ What am I feeling , what do I need ?”
2 . EMPOWER YOURSELF – SEEK HELP ( action phase )
Empowerment is asking ourselves “ What can I let go of , how can I free myself ?” and taking action to find supports and new information .
The caring role can be an extremely isolating experience for many of us , but remember , there is help available . You don ’ t have to do it all alone and asking for help isn ’ t a sign of failure . Find out what you can delegate and create a supportive team .
3 . NURTURE YOURSELF – COUNSELLING / SELF CARE ( surrender phase )
Give yourself the compassion you deserve and permission for self-care . Talk to a counsellor and release all those built-up feelings . You will feel lighter again and likely find the clarity to move forward .
4 . BELIEVE IN YOURSELF – COACHING ( plan / rebuild phase )
After releasing your emotional heaviness , you ’ ll be in a much better space to create plans and make changes happen .
Coaching guides you towards your goals and rebuilds your confidence , supporting you to better manage your time and implement healthy practices . A coach can even help you create a plan to return work or study , or just find an activity you love so you can start to feel like you again .
Many carers have reported coaching was the missing ingredient that really made the difference in balancing out their caring situation .
5 . REFUEL YOURSELF - CONNECT / ENGAGE ( maintenance phase )
Now that you have shifted what was feeling stuck and made the changes you needed to restore balance , it ’ s time to maintain it . This can look like regular planned respite , carer events and day outings , or just reconnecting with family and friends .
It ’ s so important to get out there , to rediscover feelings of joy and to feed your soul by doing things that you love . Think of this as the vitamins that keep you feeling happy , strong and resilient , so you can better manage the hard stuff in your caring role .
Find out how you can access carer coaching at coaching . carergateway . gov . au /
Issue 04 2023 | 9