The Importance of Perspective
Having the right perspective is an essential caregiver superpower. Here’s how to develop it.
Dear Caregivers,
Looking up at the sky near midnight on Sunday, you will see a rare and beautiful sight: A darkened full moon, bathed in red light. This so-called “Blood Moon” is a total lunar eclipse -- one of two that can be seen from Florida this year. Unlike a solar eclipse, looking directly at a lunar eclipse is completely safe. The “total” phase of the eclipse begins May 15 at 11:29 p.m. Florida time, and it will last more than an hour..
That we earthlings experience the lunar eclipse at this time is all a matter of perspective: During the eclipse, the earth lies exactly in-between the sun and the moon, and therefore casts its shadow completely over the moon, turning it dark red. If you were on the moon looking at the earth, however, you would see from your perspective a very different sight: our home planet surrounded by a ring of light, which are all the sunrises and sunsets that are occurring at that exact moment.
Putting things in perspective is one of the great Caregiver superpowers. Your loved one’s health, your family, your job, your own emotions, can all be overwhelming at times. It is during these times that we all need to practice putting things into perspective. As the Dalia Lama puts it, “Everyday, think as you wake up, ‘Today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it….I am going to benefit others as much as I can.’
Here are some great ways to put things in perspective as a caregiver:
Keep a daily journal:
Journaling has shown to provide relief from grief and anger, reduce depression, improve self-care, and enhance relationships. Some people create a daily “gratitude journal” and write five things/people/events each day they are grateful for. Click here to learn how to start.
Practice the 10 Commandments of Caregiving:
Caregiving is one of the hardest jobs in the world, requiring enormous strenth, patience, and compassion. Here are 10 rules to live by to keep things in perspective.
Find the joy in your role:
The challenge that family caregivers face is to learn acceptance, to live in the present moment, and to let go of things you cannot control. This is a challenge to be sure, but if there can be any joy in caregiving, this is where it is. Here’s how to find that joy.
Best,
Rosemary D Laird, MD, MHSA
Founder and Chief Medical Officer
"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”
— Epictetus
