Keeping Your Balance
Dear Caregivers,
It always amazes me that a day of the year that used to be celebrated worldwide in ancient cultures now barely passes without so much as a whisper. Today is the Vernal Equinox, the point in earth’s orbit where day and night are nearly equal in length, marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
For the ancients, who as agriculturalists were very attuned to the seasons, the Equinox marked a turning point in the year that was often signaled by their monuments—the Egyptian Sphinx was built to be aligned with the sunrise at the beginning of Spring—and observed in major festivals, ceremonies and rituals. In ancient Europe, people celebrated the god of renewal Oestre, the basis of our modern Easter; in India people celebrate with a “Festival of Colors” where they throw brightly-colored powder over each other while dancing in the streets.
In modern day Florida we no longer have such rituals, but it’s still a good time to pause and reflect on the end of one chapter and a new beginning of a new one. There’s an old wives’ tale that you can balance an egg on its end on the Equinox--which happens to be true, but only because you can actually balance an egg on its end any day of the year! And so I like to think of this time, when the night and daylight are equally divided, as a time to contemplate how to make sure I keep a sense of balance in my life.
For a caregiver of a loved one suffering from Alzheimer's, you are continually challenged to find the balance between sadness and joy, between being present and long-term planning, and between caring for your loved one and caring for yourself. That’s not always easy, but your NAN navigator is here to help you maintain your equilibrium.
Here are some more resources about keeping your balance:
Building your Caregiving Mental Health Toolkit:
As a caregiver, you need a host of tools to help you cope and maintain your mental health. Here’s your toolkit.
Setting Boundaries as a Caregiver:
As a caregiver, it is essential that you remain committed to your personal boundaries, making sure that you give yourself time and space to address your personal needs for rest, relaxation, and fulfillment. This foundation for positive self-care is vital in improving your well-being. Here’s how to do it.
How To Do Relaxation Breathing:
If you're feeling anxious, the first step to take is to break your body's stress response cycle. Relaxation breathing is a powerful technique to achieve this. Here's a guide.
Best,
Rosemary D Laird, MD, MHSA
Founder and Chief Medical Officer
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."
— Albert Einstein
