Coming Out of the Caregiver Closet

Do you self-identify as a caregiver?  Or do you just consider yourself a dedicated son/daughter/partner/grandchild/friend?  To be perfectly honest,  it took me awhile to.  After all, a caregiver is someone in their 50’s, 60’s, 70’s not a thriving early 30-something!

At the beginning, I just thought well I’m her daughter, her only child, so this is what I will do to help my Mom - plain and simple - she was always there for me - dedicated everything to me - so it was only natural I would be there for her.   Can you relate? 

After finally digging into some research and putting two words together I never thought I would, young + caregiver I went through a period of grappling with this newfound identity.

I clearly recall when I, as I like to say, came out of the caregiving closet - I was immersing myself in doing research on caregivers, looking for support groups and resources for young caregivers and starting to make some connections.  Maybe it was the Universe saying - wow - how many times did I have to knock you upside the head to get you to finally acknowledge your reality.  

But guess what - coming out of the caregiver closet, finally self-identifying as a caregiver, is exactly what I needed and I don't doubt it will be one of the best things you'll ever do in your journey too. 

No you can’t change the realities of your caregiving situation - you can’t undo a disease, push pause on time or have a million dollars fall from the sky to help support you financially - but you can serve yourself, you can talk about it, you can say loud and proud - “hey I’m a caregiver - yeah it f’ing sucks - I didn’t ask for this, I didn’t think I can handle it, but I’m here, I need support and I’m ready to come out of the caregiver closet too. 

Don't forget to join me in my free Facebook group,  Young Life Interrupted.  This is a private community of young caregivers, just like you, where we share stories, vent, celebrate the small wins and come together in community and support.  I would really love to see you in there!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE YOUNG CAREGIVER SURVIVAL GUIDE:
Your Cliffs Notes guide to surviving (& thriving) while caregiving. Whether you're preparing to care, new to your caregiving role or a seasoned caregiver, these tips will help save you time, energy and regret throughout your care journey. This guide includes simple yet effective strategies to prepare & support you through the challenging times.

Where we can connect:

Join the Young Life Interrupted Facebook group

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