When this slang expression was started nearly 20 years ago, it meant that you were moving too fast, and you needed to slow down before you got into trouble. I’d like to use it to mean you need to step back, breathe, and reflect. What better thing to do as we look forward to the start of another year?
What has your year been like as a caregiver? If you were new to this role, you may be feeling as though you’ve been on a treadmill where someone keeps increasing the speed without your knowledge or permission. If you’ve been on this road for a while, you may feel competent at the increased speed because you’ve learned how to handle it. Yet, there may be a secret wish that you could slow down just long enough to catch your breath.
While the actual responsibilities of caregiving may not change, you can slow your roll by reflecting on what has gone well this year. Not everything has been out of your control, and there are some things that went well which you may be able to duplicate for the upcoming year. We sometimes forget when we have been successful because the points of failure seem to loom larger than life and like water rolling downhill, we find ourselves settling in our low points.
I encourage you to not settle there, but to remember what has been good, what has gone well, and what has made you smile. Slow your roll.
🙋Your Turn: What are the good things you will duplicate for the new year?
Care For The Caregiver 