I designed this guided journal, curated especially for family caregivers who need to take a look towards the future. Each page is designed to give you space to take a deep breath and make time to re-invest in yourself.
 
So, why a journal about the future, when the here-and-now is so hectic?
 
This journal serves as both a grounding exercise and a personal document, ensuring you don't lose sight of who you are while advocating for your loved one. I designed this journal to address a rarely discussed phenomenon: the self-abandonment that often accompanies the caregiving experience. Caregivers reach deeply into the nurturing, compassionate, and self-sacrificing parts of themselves. During caregiving, especially for a loved one like a parent, these qualities can lead to neglecting our own needs.
 
Too often, caregivers find themselves lost within the daily routine of caring for others. Days and months go by in a flash, and moments of self-abandonment become more commonplace, until a new normal is established: the caregiver is depleted to the point of burnout. The enormity of self-loss is often recognized only once care ends - and we find ourselves adrift, with a changed sense of self and no clear plans for the future. At the heart of post-care burnout, we find a disconnect from our past, present, and future selves.
 
Consider the process ahead as a way to honor where you’ve been, where you are, and where you want to go, after this life-changing time of caregiving. Through a series of over 100 prompts, you'll embark on a journey of self-discovery, reflection, and planning. Each reflection is designed to be a container for your thoughts and a way to stay connected to yourself. The time with the journal is a sacred space to show up to the page and listen to your inner world.
 
You are not alone as you navigate, recalibrate and take care of yourself -- as you take care of others.