A little something

*We get these by email everyday from EAP--- I usually dont share --every now and then - but I liked this one--and needed it, maybe one of yall will get use out of it too* The Sandwich Generation Many of us in today's world are sandwiched between caring for our elderly parents and for our own children and grandchildren. Sometimes this can feel overwhelming and make us wonder how much care giving we can give without reaching a point of exhaustion. Some of us have had to step up to the plate and become parents to our grandchildren. Being a part of a family certainly brings responsibilities that are never-ending, especially for those of us who can't turn our backs on what needs to be done to care give and nurture our loved ones. There is no perfect solution to these dilemmas but a few guidelines may help. 1.Try breaking each day down to only those things you can accomplish or that are doable that day. Break them down as much as you need to. 2. When we feel 'overwhelmed' emotionally, we are probably looking at too many things at one time. Work on one thing at a time because that's really all we can do anyway. 3. Spending time feeling guilty and worrying about the past and the future is useless. Discipline your inner thoughts to focus on the present. We usually think about the past and the future in negative terms or what we call 'catastrophizing.' Things sometimes turn out better than we thought they would. 4. Everyone needs some outside help at one time or another. Seek professional help when you need to. Wise people know that we all need an 'emotional booster shot' from time to time.

I especially like #3 and #4. I don't worry about what's gonna happen....it'll all work out in the end and why waste the energy???? And I LOVE when somebody helps me, and I try really, really hard to be especially appreciative..... And I wanna add a # 5: 5. When you are out and about among people, don't be a turtle....Stick your neck out....if you see a lady with a cute haircut....tell her....If you see a man in uniform - military, fireman, policeman, etc, tell them how much you LOVE a guy in uniform (esp if he is bald....hehehe....)If you see a cute child that is behaving well...tell his/her Mom what a good job they are doing....when you see an upset child...sympathize...tell them sometimes you feel like throwing a fit too and sometimes it makes you feel better to throw one....in other words....focus OUTWARD, not inward and don't criticize - compliment! You'd be surprised how much this makes people's days....and how many new friends and phone numbers you can collect on a trip to Walmart!!!!

This is such a great post, I love it. Please keep them coming I see #4 as the absolute most important one. I know that we all try to be tough, sometimes things just don't happen by themselves and we need help. I 've come to terms with that a few months ago and my gosh I am so much better. The difference is so overwhelmingly positive, I can not stress this enough. GET HELP if you need it. No one blames ya, no one looks down on you, no one will ever know unless you tell them. Trying to be someone we are not is harder than just getting help and accepting things the way they are and doing our best to strive towards a better "ME" Take care and have a great week!!! ~Andie~