Have you ever heard of the Five Love Languages? It’s a concept and book developed by Gary Chapman. The central premise is that there are five different ways of expressing and receiving love. The Five Love Languages are:
- Words of Affirmation
- Quality Time
- Physical Touch
- Acts of Service
- Receiving Gifts
You can take a quiz and learn more about the love languages here.
Most of the time, we express love primarily in the way we want to receive it. The most common primary love language by a small margin is Words of Affirmation.
As family caregivers, we don’t hear too often from our care recipients about the fantastic job we are doing. This void is why you have to turn to your family caregiver advocates like the CircleOf team and Happy Healthy Caregiver, who want to express our gratitude for the value you provide. We want to celebrate you not just during National Family Caregivers Month, but all year long.
Instructions: Sit in silence for 10-15 minutes (or even 5 minutes if that’s all you have!), then say these Affirmations aloud to yourself. Add in any prayers or affirmations you’re working with in other areas of your life. Try this for 30 days and watch what happens!
10 Caregiver Affirmations
You show up; often when no one else does
You drop everything when you get a critical call to be with your care recipient. You are committed to your role.
You are wise
You research and work diligently to understand all your care recipient’s options to live their best life.
You are relentless
You face the tough questions and bring up courageous conversations.
You are human
Your life is valuable, AND so many people count on you to keep your energy up and immunity optimal.
You are a hard worker
You roll up your sleeves and dive into wound care, personal care, and many stinky and messy situations.
You are part of the support system
You share your personal struggles and stories, so others are inspired and encouraged. They no longer feel isolated and overwhelmed.
You are enough
You look in the mirror at the end of each day and give yourself some grace, self-love, compassion, and forgiveness.
You are courageous
You perform procedures with little to no training. You explore new alternatives. You face your worst fears head-on.
You are a problem solver
You don’t sit back, wait and watch. Instead, you dive into the healing and helping.
You are resilient
Your life gets twisted around and turned upside down, and you carry on. Your caregiving journey requires you to cope with a crisis, adapt to a situation, and be ready for anything.
We hope you print this list of affirmations out so it can affirm you daily. We all have them—those not-so-great days. The days we question everything, cry uncontrollably and throw our hands in the air. Hang this somewhere where you can see it so you can feel validated. Caring for another human being matters. You are making a difference. We are thankful for you!
Elizabeth B. Miller is a family caregiver, Certified Caregiving Consultant, and founder of Happy Healthy Caregiver. Through her speaking, consulting, and online resources, Elizabeth helps family caregivers integrate caregiving and self-care with their busy lives. She is the host of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast on the Whole Care Network, author of Just for You: A Daily Self-Care Journal, administrator of the Self-Care Support for Family Caregivers FB Group, and facilitator of an Atlanta caregiver support group called the Atlanta Daughterhood Circle.
