Being A Carer
Finding the Balance in Life When Caring for Someone Who is Sick
Are you someone who is trying to balance caring for parents or children who
may have challenges while working to provide for your loved ones? Or maybe
you are someone who voluntarily needed to place their life on hold while you
navigate these challenges? Maybe you had to move-in or move others into your
home? These what-if's may differ in their scenarios from each other but both
examples highlight the need to find and maintain balance and it starts with
recognizing the need to find the equaling of the scales in our lives.
Whatever the reasons you feel life is pulling on you - you must take care of
self first. Without you, whatever balance you are trying to maintain will
suddenly topple over in one direction potentially causing a whole set of new
issues. I know we can feel guilty or selfish when we take time for
ourselves, but neither of these emotions charge our energy and attitude like
some me time can. Whether it is taking time out for meditation, a walk or
forbid - a night out or meal with your mates - we need to schedule the time.
Just like setting a Doctor's visit for your mum, you need to do the same for
you.
We can easily feel overwhelmed because of responsibilities from such daily
time consuming tasks as taking care of someone. Feeling overwhelmed leads to
thoughts of being overpowered and entrapped in our emotions and situations.
No matter what the circumstances that have led to this conclusion, changing
the conversation you have with your self can help change your outcome from
one of entrapment to one of empowerment. When we find the wherewithal to
think differently about ourselves and then our situation, we can make
positive progress to our goals. It is all up to you.
Traveling through the journey of the life is never easy because we encounter
people and situations that help us develop our individual identity,
character and thoughts. At times these tests can leave us emotionally,
mentally and spiritually drained, and unsure of our next moves. We also may
have played a role in delaying our next moves because we did not want to
look at people and situations as they truly are for fear of hurting another
or ourselves. You may even be feeling paralyzed from your indecision.
Even when we feel like we have nothing to contribute, too exhausted to try
any longer it is at this time we need to recognize we have to fill our head
with only positive and constructive thoughts. When we feel too tired and
overwhelmed to try something new - it is at this time we must get out of our
rut and apply our energy to new growth in our lives. It is through these
types of encounters that make us stronger in our individual spirit and
intellect. So remember who you are, what you have accomplished and where you
can go!
One of the Key gals of the Tarot Deck is Temperance, an important female
figure of the Major Arcana Tarot. This wise woman reminds you that all of us
have to meet this feature of life, where we need to schedule time for
ourselves to create and plan. This important experience of catering to all
the aspects of our demanding life starts with taking care of our imaginative
and inspiring selves. What is also so cool about Temperance, her imagery is
one of reincarnation. All our pasts can become whole again - if we choose to
believe in her rejuvenating influence.
Not surprisingly, many may find a Patience Meditation useful when confronted
with the lessons of our gal Temperance. Her message is learning how to
maintain relationship. We often feel we are being tested in how to sustain
the flow of feelings to keep the scales balanced in our life. She reminds us
not to drain our energy nor pause in pursuing our dreams because we can do
it all if we do so with a positive and constructive attitude. Focusing on
self so you can achieve balance is part of her lesson.
Many of you may be dealing with friends and family who you are trying to
maintain an emotional balance in a relationship that you know needs to go by
the wayside Temperance has some wise words for you. This lady brings us to
the encounter of realizing a balanced heart. Understanding the difference
between the drivers of feelings versus emotional reaction is her domain. In
many of the older versions of Tarot she is called The Angel of Time and
encourages the reader to spread their spiritual wings.
And if you need to do this, I suggest you do so. You may be hoping you can
maintain a status quo of emotional flow; not upsetting the applecart, but
Temperance's lesson points out you cannot stay comfortable within the land
of Temperance forever, something will need to give, eventually making you to
take a stand and move forward.
Her advice is simple instead of focusing on the emotional reaction that
could occur find the solution that allows you to move forward while others
can still maintain a sense of dignity by allowing the change to happen.
Sometimes we get so concerned with the perceived confrontation that could
occur, or feel we need to speak a certain truth - but Temperance tells us -
your sanity and safety are what is most important. There are ways to deliver
news that get the results you want, while allowing another to walk away with
a head held high - as long as they walk away!
So many of us can get stuck in serving only one side of the scales - and it
usually is not the one tilted in our direction. I understand the dynamics
that involve caring for loved ones; especially our elderly members and I
applaud you if you are one of these individuals! I also understand how we
can feel we have no me time or even a life in some cases and it is here I
again must stress how you must take care of yourself. The universe has
handed us a demanding and fulfilling task if we choose to look at both sides
honestly - but the universe choose you and not another and we know the
universe delivers on good karma! So not only hang in there but go have some
you time too - this is the balance.
