Can Positive Psychology Help Caregivers? YES!
Coping with the stress of caregiving can feel impossible at times. What if you had a way to get through the ups and downs of each day? The idea of using “positive psychology” may seem like hocus-pocus, yet research shows that when we choose positive emotions, we can be happier and healthier.
Positive psychology is the study of how people can be happier, using their own strengths. Started about ten years ago, it is based on the belief that people want to lead meaningful lives. Unlike traditional psychology, which focuses on fixing problems, positive psychology encourages us to reach our potential and live with satisfaction.
As a caregiver, you know it’s not easy to remain upbeat. The daily challenges can become wearisome and exhausting. Feelings of isolation and depression are common, especially for women, who tend to be primary caregivers. While regular support is important, positive psychology offers a few actions that can help you navigate more easily during times of stress.
1. Find one thing every day to be grateful for. Even on the most trying day, you can identify something to be thankful for. Find it and write it down, maybe on the calendar; just a few words or a sentence is enough. A beautiful day? Birdsong? Five minutes of quiet? A call from a friend? No bills in the mail? Each day brings a reminder that there is something good and helps you be part of the human experience. Express your gratitude and your mood will improve.
2. Be proud of your strengths! Do you know what you’re good at? What makes you happy? That’s where you’ll discover your strengths, which not only make your life fulfilling, but also make you resilient during tough times. If you don’t know your strengths, (a British study showed that only one-third of us do) ask others. You will be pleasantly surprised to hear them tell you that you’re hopeful, loving, generous, energetic, curious…and more.
3. Get regular exercise. You have heard this a hundred times and research proves it. Exercise changes your brain and keeps your body healthy. Even a few minutes outdoors makes a difference. Aim to walk for 150 minutes a week. If that seems impossible, then get out for five or ten minutes at a time. But don’t just slump in front of the television, okay?
4. Stay off Facebook. The University of Michigan published a study in 2013 that showed a correlation between the time people spent on Facebook and their overall happiness. It seems that when we think everyone else is having fun, going places, or otherwise enjoying a perfect life, we feel terrible. Turn away and focus on what you’re grateful for.
Abraham Lincoln said, “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” While positive psychology can’t make everything better, it can make a difference in how you view your life and the world.
