SEPTEMBER THEME: TENACITY

Tenacity is your ability to stick with it when things get hard. Caregivers are no strangers to HARD things. The challenges come at us daily. Sometimes they knock us down - and sometimes we're ready.

Having tenacity doesn't mean that we'll never FALL. AND, it's not about how long we're DOWN when we do. Tenacity is all about the getting UP. Getting up requires STRENGTH of all kinds - physical, mental and emotional. When we fall down - and we all know we will fall again - we need to start by pausing. Notice. Take the time and space you need to rest and recover. You'll need your strength to both get up and be ready for the next time. It can be cold and lonely when we fall - yet, Courage to Caregivers is here to support you as you STRENGTHEN your tenacity muscles. 

When our kids were little (they're not so little any more at 28-30-32), I took part in a book group at school where we read "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee: Using Timeless Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children" by Wendy Mogel. As we dug into TENACITY this month (a concept I also learned when my kids were in elementary school) - the teaching from "Blessing of a Skinned Knee" on coping with frustration was likely the most relevant. "Treating children's daily distresses as an expected and unalarming part of life is an effective way to discourage them from turning small difficulties into big dramas. We can help children become calmer and more resilient by staying calm ourselves." ~ Wendy Mogel, "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee." 

It takes a great deal of tenacity to navigate life's challenges AND as caregivers, supporting our loved ones in cultivating their tenacity, too. 💙

Tenacity - the quality of being very determined.

TENACITY AFFIRMATIONS
Use affirmations to inspire you or reframe your thoughts

• Just because I am not an expert now doesn’t stop me from learning.

• I can reframe the obstacles I face as challenges to overcome.

• I recognize and am grateful for my strengths everyday.

• My healthy coping mechanisms are there to support me.

• I keep going with strength, patience, and compassion even when times are tough.

APPS FOR GUIDED MEDITATION

• Fabulous is a self-care app with coaching lessons, habit reminders, motivational content, and mindfulness exercises.
• ThinkUp-Daily Affirmations provides affirmations to help with motivation, optimism, and self-esteem.
• MindShift CBT supports people with anxiety in overcoming their fears using evidence-based strategies.

ARTICLES

• What is Tenacity?

• How to be Realistic and Optimistic

• Healthy Coping Skills
• Perseverance and Purpose

PODCASTS 

• “Addressing Motivation,” hosted by psychologist Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis, goes over the barriers we face in terms of motivation and how we can overcome them.
• “A Daily Workout to Tackle Nagging Self-Criticism” is a 25 min episode that discusses how we can train our minds in order to prepare ourselves for tough times. 
• “Mind, Body, Spirit- Part 3” is the third part of a TED Radio Hour deep dive into the human psyche. This episode focuses on how people keep their spirits up and “[rekindle] their zest for life.”

BOOKS

• "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" by Angela Duckworth
• "Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life" by Martin Seligman

• "Coping Skills: Tools & Techniques for Every Stressful Situation" (5-Minute Therapy) by Faith G. Harper, PhD offers a range of strategies for getting through tough moments and changing your perspective. 

• "The Positive Shift: Mastering Mindset to Improve Happiness, Health and Longevity" by Dr. Catherine Sanderson who breaks down the science of thought and shows how our mindset—or thought pattern—exerts a substantial influence on our psychological and physical health. 

Caregivers can be HOPEgivers, too 💙

While Courage to Caregivers is not focused exclusively on suicide prevention, as a nonprofit in the caregiver burnout prevention business, we support many caregivers to those living with suicidal ideation. And, it was a huge part of our story and our "why".

You'll find all of our favorite Suicide Awareness and Prevention Resources on our website here.

And ... don't forget about our Information Resource sheets, including this one, focused on caregivers supporting someone living with suicidal ideation, available on our website here. 

Suicide and crisis support has NEVER been easier! Just call 988 for the suicide and crisis LIFEline! 

We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. 

September is also National Recovery Month.  Caregivers are an essential component to recovery for our loved ones' journey with mental health and substance use. Caregivers may offer emotional, financial, mental, physical, and/or social support for their loved ones. It's important to remember that recovery IS possible. 

If you're a caregiver experiencing caregiver burnout - recovery is possible for YOU, too! You don't have to take this journey alone! We're here to support YOU - we have caregiver peers ready to listen and support you - call us at 216-536-7699, email us, or visit our website for more information.

FIRESIDE CHAT TONIGHT! 

Caregiver Essentials: Advocating for Your Loved One Every Step of the Way, on Thursday, September 28 at 7:00 pm ET.

Jenny Woodworth, LISW, Courage to Caregivers Director of Programs, hosts this Fireside Chat conversation with Joan Englund, Executive Director of Mental Health and Addiction Advocacy Coalition and Katie Jenkins, MPA, CDCA, Executive Director of NAMI Greater Cleveland regarding advocacy both on a large scale and a small scale.

Questions about how to best support your loved one during treatment? 

Questions about policy regarding mental health and addiction? This is the Fireside Chat for you! Email your questions to Jenny in advance!

Register on Eventbrite (so we can remind you and help you troubleshoot!) and then join us LIVE on YouTube.

CREATE WITH COURAGE

Do you enjoy creative expression and all its benefits?  Please join us for Create with Courage, a fundraiser where participants can express their creativity through a variety of nature inspired activities including crafting, painting, forest bathing and more!  It will be held on Sunday, November 5th from 1-4pm at Holbrook Hollows park in Bainbridge Township. Advanced reservations are required - and limited!   Visit our website for further information and registration information. See you there! 

CARING FOR THE CAREGIVERS SUMMIT

Wednesday, November 1 and Thursday, November 2 from 9 am to 12:30 p.m. ET.

In honor of National Family Caregivers month - join us for two mornings - six fantastic speakers - presentations focused on mindset, practice, and self-compassion, at our Journeying With Courage and Intention virtual summit.

For unpaid family caregivers and professional caregivers (6 free CEUs available!)

Check out our website for all the details and register on Eventbrite. 

October's theme is COURAGE - a heart word. The root of the word courage is cor – the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant “to speak one's mind by telling all one's heart.” Throughout October we will focus on learning from mistakes, strength amidst adversity, and progress over perfection. As we continue on the journey of discovering our true selves, setting micro-goals will guide us. Check out October's Micro-Challenges Calendar.

Courage to Caregivers Breathing Practice for October: Humming Bee Breath

As we support caregivers to make breathing and meditation a practice, we're pleased to share our Breathing Meditation Facilitator Cathy and her monthly breathing practice how-to videos. You can watch October's instructional video for Humming Bee Breath here. With this cleansing breath, we reduce stress and anxiety by creating a vibration within our bodies. Remember to subscribe to our Monthly Breathing Practices playlist to stay updated each month. You can also subscribe to our Breathing Meditation playlist, where we upload our weekly breathing meditation recordings, and follow along on our Spotify Breathing Meditation playlist.