Master the art of balancing care for your partner with self-care to keep your own well-being intact.
There are times in a relationship when your mate may struggle with a physical, mental, or emotional situation. For example, your partner may suffer from depression, grief over the loss of a loved one, or chronic pain from a condition or an injury. Of course, when you sign up to be in a long-term relationship, you do so wanting to support your mate, husband, or wife during the challenge life has presented to your loved one.
Here is the challenge for the caregiving mate: how do you support your partner without giving so much of yourself that you suffer from physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion?
Here is how: You have to learn the workings of your own gas tank. Tuning into knowing when your tank is full, half-full, and when it is under 1/4 full is important information.
Giving so much to a loved one that you deplete your energy puts you at risk for fatigue, a lower immune system, and stress. Once your tank is almost empty, you are much less effective in caring for your mate.
I recommend you compile some strategies for self-care, before your mate needs you so you’ll be ready to fill your tank when your mate does need you.
These strategies might be any of the following:
- Quiet time with a cup of tea or coffee.
- A walk around the block alone or with a friend.
- At least thirty minutes to read.
- At least thirty minutes to meditate.
- Time to exercise.
- Time with a therapist or pastor.
- Journaling.
- Lunch with a friend.
These are just a few ideas and you may have others that are a better fit for you. The message here is to remember to take care of yourself while you’re caring for the most precious of people in your life!
If you are looking for some self-care strategies in your relationship but are running into roadblocks, get in touch, and we can talk about some strategies.