• Smile! It’s not funny how often we forget to do this simple act and how well it lifts our spirits.
   

• Call someone who makes you feel good; especially if you haven’t spoken with him or her for a long time.
   

• Have a bite of something sinfully delicious, while being conscious of your own dietary limitations. When was the last time you treated yourself to a snack?
   

• Take a bubble bath, once you make sure that your loved one is safe and secure; nothing better expresses caregiver self care than a leisurely bubble bath.
   

• Read, pick up that novel, or reread a motivation poem. When was the last time you turned off the television, turned down the phone, and read something nice? (This tip goes very well with the last one.)
   

• Get a massage. It’s like taking a mini-vacation: it will relax you and relieve the tension you build up every day.
   

• Buy yourself some flowers. You deserve them, and the sight and smell of something beautiful and fragrant will give you a reason to smile.
   

• Take a walk at a pace that allows you to feel the wind whispering around you.
   

• Go shopping and buy something just for you, something that makes you feel special.
   

• Go online. You can explore different places, find new friends, and learn new things. Make the internet your getaway, even when you can’t get out of the house.

Today’s Caregiver Magazine
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