New Year. Now What?

So here we are at the end of 2011. Yes, it’s that time of year when we’re hit with those “best of the year” and “worst of the year” lists. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were doing your own year-end review, thinking about what happened and what didn’t happen, what you accomplished and what you didn’t accomplish.

And then, I will ask that question one more time, but change the emphasis. How do you THINK you did? I’m emphasizing the word “think” because that’s where you can get yourself in trouble when you’re doing your annual review.

Focus on the bigger picture. Life is an ongoing process of growing, developing, learning, caring and being cared for. An ebb and flow. Life may seem to go better – fewer challenges, more successes – some years, and not so great other years. But the point is that your life isn’t about only one year, but the years that you have lived, and the years that you have ahead of you. So don’t lose your perspective.

Give in to the possibility of change. And while you’re looking at the bigger picture, ask yourself: Is 2012 a year for new directions? The only thing we can really count on is that things change. You’ve already seen it in your own life, with the changes that your diagnosis introduced. The more flexible you can be – ready, willing, and able to shift your priorities, and change your routine – makes it easier to live with uncertainty. Open yourself up to the unexpected.


Make “taking better care of myself” the top priority for 2012. Think about what you need to do to strengthen your foundation. More attention to your physical well-being with an exercise plan? Learning how to cope better with stress? Picking up a new hobby? Spending more time with friends and family? Building a stronger support network? Assess your strengths, and where you need to add more muscle, and commit to doing what you need to do to get bulked up.

Celebrate 2011 by celebrating yourself! You’ve made it through another year. Life is good. And 2012 is a year of even more opportunity for personal growth.

Happy New Year! Make 2012 the best year yet… at least until 2013!

Your middle name isn't God.

Being a caregiver, and all the uncertainty around it, can leave you feeling out of control. Scary decisions to be made. Treatments with unfamiliar side effects. Emotions all over the place. And when humans feel out of control, they begin to fear what we all fear the most: helplessness. Some days you want to micromanage your loved one's life, other days you may want to run for the hills. But consider this: we are not in control of what happens in our lives. Life happens as it happens. Trying to have control over everything is trying to play God, and that's a lose-lose proposition. So, unless your middle name is God, can you give yourself a break? Take a look at what you can control and stop trying to control the uncontrollable. Take life one day at a time. THIS day. Not tomorrow. You don't control that either. Take a deep breath and relax. Live in the moment. Take care of yourself.