Do something just because you want to, not because you have to. Buy yourself a special treat and don’t share it with anyone. Heck, don’t even tell them about it. Find a safe space in your home and hide there. Say no to a request for your time. Dig in the dirt for no reason at all. Scream into a pillow. Break something. Leave the chores and take a nap. Pat yourself on the back for the wonderful job you are doing every single day!

I have a difficult journey but so do many other people. I could sit around and complain or I can get on with it and find ways to stay sane. There are going to be days when it feels like the world is dumping on me but there are also going to be days when the sun is shining and all is well. I know which I prefer so I am going to focus my energy on those positive times and let the negative go.

Yesterday was a very busy day, we had a plumber come in to fix our kitchen and bathroom sinks, my husband had a PT session and I had a friend stop by for a visit. Yet with all the disruption, we made it through. And I only had to use a couple of the coping strategies in the paragraph above, I’m not telling which ones. I hope that you can find a couple in the list that might work for you. Coping with the stressors I face and making it through, my primary goals for living as a Parkinson’s CarePartner.