The holidays can be a challenging and stressful time for all of us but especially caregivers. Despite the ups and downs that you might encounter, there are a few simple things you can do to help keep you grounded and build your resilience during the holidays.🎄

As I reflect on the holiday season of 2017, it was a challenging time to say the least. Early in November, my mom started having severe back pain and had to start using a walker. With this new issue, she realized she would be unable to make her Thanksgiving feast that year (one of her favorite traditions). The following weekend, my dad had a heart issue which sent him to the hospital for several days. A few days after he came home, my mother’s pain became worse and she ended up going into the hospital. She eventually had spinal surgery but, after prolonged bed rest, she was unable to walk. Her stay in the hospital lasted until after Christmas when she was finally transferred to a rehab facility.

Needless to say, the holidays were a bit of a bummer that year. With my Dad recovering from his own health issues, I became the main caregiver for my mother. The days in the hospital were long, frustrating and exhausting, and all I wanted was for my mom to be better and to be home celebrating my favorite time of year with my two young boys and husband.

All this to say, sometimes the holidays don’t turn out how you hope, especially as a caregiver. Sometimes a regular day doesn’t turn out how you had expected in the caregiving life. This is where I relied on all of my yoga tools to help me get through my days.

💠 Deep breaths were a way for me to calm my nervous system while sitting in a hospital chair waiting to speak to the doctors.

💠 Journaling about gratitude kept me focused on the positives of my life and not getting completely overwhelmed by the sadness and frustration I felt.

💠 My gentle yoga stretches helped me relieve tension in my body so I could get a more restful sleep. Join me for one of our Sunday Self-care Stretch and Rest classes - these are currently happening inside our Facebook community here www.facebook.com/groups/yoga4caregivers

Below is an example of a calming breathing practiceI used while caregiving and I still use this practice regularly when I need a moment to relieve tension and reset.

You don't need to be feeling anxious or overwhelmed to use this breathing practice – in fact, it's a good idea to practice it while feeling relatively calm so you know what to expect and how it makes you feel when you use it during the moments you are experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety. You want to feel comfortable breathing this way when feeling calm, before you can feel comfortable doing it when anxious. With time, you will gradually master this practice, feel the benefits and improve your resilience. I encourage you to give it a try.👇

Inhale and slowly breathe in through your nose - count of 4

Pause - count of 2

Exhale and slowly breathe out through your mouth- count of 6

Pause - count of 2

Repeat several times until you feel some relief

These are just a few examples of practical tools to maintain your resilience that can be such a blessing and thankfully they aren’t too complicated. You just need to know they exist and be willing to give them a try.

👉 If you would like to learn more about building your resilience through practical tools to support your nervous system, I created a course entitled, Yoga to Cultivate Resilience: Balancing Practices for Everyday Living that I invite you to check out.

Wishing you and yours, a peaceful and joy filled holiday season. ❤️

Yours in whole health,

Ellen