~SanGenWoman Blog~: January 2017

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

...::::Trail Blazer::::...

Set Your Sails by Jan Steinle

"Plan and prepare, ready or not, just go for it & embrace the challenge."

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...::::Trail Blazing::::...

Life is always moving forward.
Time is our best friend. We get to start over every day.
Find your peace of mind and share your heart out.
Connect to those who lift you up.
Surround yourself with people and things that make your heart beat a little faster.
A creative life with purpose gives us hope. Hope is our lifeline.
Free will is our key to living a drama-free life, if we learn how to manage our emotions.
Emotional well-being is the cornerstone & vantage point of our outlook on life and living.
A purpose-driven life is always at our beckon call.
Where do we focus and what and who do we allow in our lives?

Living a life on purpose, with love, is a powerful decision. Then we

have to be responsible and not place blame.
Always take the high road.
Seek & find silver linings daily.

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Examples of making changes to impact our well-being & those around us:

Pick up the phone to say hello. The personal touch is so sweet.
Put a new picture on the wall where you'll see it everyday. Something that recharges you every time you look at it.

Get a notebook, to make notes about people, places & things that inspire you.

Get some sticky notes for reminders.

Be a blessing in daily living - ex: generous in speak & actions.

Are you merry in your heart? Does joy live there?

Mail a greeting card. Make the effort.

Be You. No holding back.

Make a decision and stick to it.
Get out of your comfort zone to learn what you're capable of.
Stretch yourself.

Practice the Pause.

Draw a doodle and show someone.

Say hello.

Say goodbye.

Take the time.

Be a giver.

Be positive.

Love without judgment.

.....:::Be a Trail Blazer:::.....

Think outside of the box.

Don't settle, go for it.
Be true to you.

~Live love.
~Laugh daily.

~Celebrate.

~No regrets.

*.....:::LET GO:::.....*

Having a challenge figuring out what your purpose is in life, logon to: purposequest.com and take the free assessment on the home page to help you discern what it is that you're called to do. It's so worth it!

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Check out my Paperback/Kindle on Amazon - The Artistry of Caregiving: Letters To Inspire Your Caregiver Journey - bit.ly/ArtistryofCareCBrecht - May my book bless you as you navigate the emotional journey of caring for your loved one. I hope you're inspired, find peace, connection and community. 33 Letters written from my heart to yours. Designed to read on the go, in no particular order. Your daily companion letting you know you're understood and not alone. Too tired to read or focus? Get supported and affirmed by 35 Caregiver Zentangle designs throughout the book. You inspire me. You are my hero. <3

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From a recent reader: "I love how brief each letter is so you can read just a short piece each day, easily and quickly, and they always leave you feeling empowered! -K.H.

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FREE Kindle app on my book page~
-To get the most accurate preview of the Look Inside feature on my book page - view on a computer.

Best Wishes, Carole

cbrecht4@gmail.com

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To read my recent interview with www.nextactforwomen.com

To read my recent interview with www.ellensmithwrites.com

My recent audio interview with Agewyz.com http://bit.ly/2igXvLz

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Book: The Artistry of Caregiving bit.ly/ArtistryofCareCB

To follow on Instagram: bit.ly/SanGenIN

To follow on Twitter: bit.ly/SanGenTW

To follow on Facebook: facebook.com/sangenwoman

www.sangenwoman.com

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

April Koontz ~ Special Guest

Common Threads by Jan Steinle

"This is a reminder that there are common threads of love woven through our Caregiver journey that connect us, while navigating the emotional journey"

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Introducing Special Guest Blogger ~ April Koontz ~ Founder of Daughters Unite

Entrepreneur, Marketing Consultant, Social Worker & Song Writer

What? I’m a caregiver? Hmm…I thought I was a daughter.

Are you a female who checks on an aging parent or disabled loved one in your life? Do you provide rides to appointments, manage finances and/or keep up with their medications? Do you worry about your loved one’s safety? Welcome to being a daughter and being a Caregiver. It’s amazing the immediate understanding women share when the ‘plight of the daughter’ conversation occurs. The energy the conversation evokes is truly palpable. A stranger becomes an immediate ally. An introvert talks for hours on end. An extrovert is initially speechless and then immediately suggests ‘getting the girls together’. It’s an instant connector that breaks through any and all superficial masks and reaches deep into matters of the heart.

Unfortunately, daughters don’t typically see themselves as ‘Caregivers’ until they’re well into the Caregiver journey and have been told they’re a Caregiver by a medical professional. How and why does this happen? To me, it’s simple. We’re not born with this identity or term in our consciousness. We’re born a daughter (or son). We’re born a niece (or nephew). We’re born a sister (or brother). ‘Caregiver’ is a temporary identity suddenly thrust upon us at some point in our adulthood (that is, unless you’re one of the 1.4 million young caregivers out there under the age of 18). The result? Unimaginable stress. Finding oneself faced with a sick parent or other adult loved one is stressful enough. Not knowing where to turn for help makes it a million times more stressful. There are layers and layers of grief and financial and legal paperwork and a healthcare system so complex that most healthcare professionals can barely navigate it. When the inevitable crisis hits – the fire hose of emotion and incoming medical information sprays us into a state of paralysis; we’re not sure where to go, who to talk to or what step to take next. We don’t know what we don’t know and we don’t know we’re a Caregiver.

Here’s the good news: Since launching Daughters Unite across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, I've had the honor and privilege of connecting with some amazing daughters. For example, Anne Tumlinson, founder of Daughterhood and Liz O'Donnell, founder of Working Daughter are both incredibly talented women working hard on our behalf to bridge the gap between the ‘daughter’ and ‘caregiver’ identity. Other daughters like Denise Brown, founder of www.caregiving.com, Connie Chow, founder of www.dailycaring.com and Elizabeth Miller, founder of www.happyhealthycaregiver.com are working to build safe and supportive online communities for Caregivers to connect. Finally, a host of authors and Caregiving consultants such as our own, Carole Brecht of SanGenWoman, share their experience, strength and hope through the books they've written, the posts, tweets and images they share on a daily basis and their own social media communities they’re building. We’re everywhere. And every one of us has a story. All we need to do now is become visible much earlier in the process to those who haven’t yet identified as a Caregiver.

What are your thoughts on how we can best reach those who haven’t been exposed to the term, Caregiver yet? We’d love to hear your comments here and/or at www.daughtersunite.com. We’re claiming 2017 as The Year of the Daughter and we’re incredibly grateful to the SanGenWoman community for your support! Happy New Year!

To follow and contact me:

Website: www.daughtersunite.com.

Email: april@daughtersunite.com

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Thank you April for being my guest blogger today! I appreciate all that you're doing to bring us together under your Daughters United social media platform. It's been great getting to know you! You continue to inspire me daily.

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Check out my book The Artistry of Caregiving: Letters To Inspire Your Caregiving Journey on Amazon in Paperback & Kindle - A book to read on the go, your daily companion, letting you know your understood and not alone~

A recent review of my book page on Amazon from April:

“Heartfelt, inspiring and amazingly creative. This book is an intimate and poignant work of art that speaks directly to the different attributes of a person who has stepped into the privileged yet painful role of Caregiver. Thanks, Carole for welcoming me into your sacred Caregiving journey. I’m in awe of your artistic genius and the joy she’s bringing to so many others who are facing the often lonely, scary and demanding job of primary Caregiver. Thanks also for the introduction to Zentangle Inspired Art. It’s like meeting a new friend. Well done!”

Thank you April, so glad you enjoyed!

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FREE Kindle app on my book page~
-To get the most accurate preview of the Look Inside feature on my book page - view on a computer.

Best Wishes, Carole

cbrecht4@gmail.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To read my recent interview with www.nextactforwomen.com

To read my recent interview with www.ellensmithwrites.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book: The Artistry of Caregiving bit.ly/ArtistryofCareCBrecht

Instagram: bit.ly/SanGenIN

Twitter: bit.ly/SanGenTW

facebook.com/sangenwoman

SanGenWoman.com

Copy right 2017

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Kathryn Harrison ~ Special Guest

Just Wing It by Jan Steinle

"Not sure what to do next...just wing it!"

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~Introducing special guest - Kathryn Harrison~

Artist, Author, Publisher & Marketing Consultant

“Anything that is of value in life only multiplies when it is given.” --- Deepak Chopra

My mother’s spectacular garden enriched my world. But when my mother became afflicted with dementia, it didn’t take long for her garden to reflect her changed state. Neglect and overgrowth quickly covered the beautiful blooms. Still, the garden offered great gifts; a relaxing place for my father, an adventuresome place for my kids, and a quiet, safe place for my mom. One day, my young daughter made the connection between the weeds in the garden and my mother’s dementia. She remarked that like the weeds taking over the flowers, the disease was taking over her Nana’s brain. This clever observation was the inspiration behind my children’s book about Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias called Weeds in Nana’s Garden. Following our family’s journey with the disease, I decided to use my art and communication skills to create this illustrated children’s book, set in a garden like my mother’s. My wish is that the book is able to extend beyond our backyard to give understanding, comfort and support to many families all over the globe who are touched by dementia. It will also help raise funds for the Alzheimer Society of Canada – an organization that supported us greatly during my mom’s illness.*

After almost a year since it was first published, I am happy to report that my book has spread to many places around the world. I have customers throughout North America, the UK, and even as far away as Australia and Singapore. But what has astounded me the most has been the immense number of people all over the globe who have helped with it! Getting the book into more hands has been significantly aided by the hard work of many generous individuals! A huge force of Bloggers, Podcasters, Dementia Café Operators, Care Home Staff, Teachers, Bookstore Owners, Reviewers and Purple Angel Ambassadors have embraced my book and then made great efforts to raise awareness of it. These giving and thoughtful individuals have played such an important part in getting the word out…but it doesn’t stop there! Soon, the book will be available in other languages like French, German and Portuguese, due to the generosity of my helpers! Being exposed to this vast group of selfless people has been extremely rewarding. I think the strength and number of these new supportive relationships has been my biggest unexpected gift from this whole experience! Thank-you!

My belief that the world is full of open, giving people has been reinvigorated. Almost every day I encounter another stranger who has lent a hand to lift my efforts up further! I had gotten cautious with people over time but this kindness has opened up my heart tremendously, and as I give more, I am rewarded with further benefits. What an important lesson for me! Not so long ago, I connected with Carole Brecht after we were both featured on the compassionate online book resource blog, AlzAuthors. She is tirelessly working to support dementia Caregivers and thus invited me to be part of her blog today. I am thankful to be included in her efforts. Joining together, we can be even more effective at helping people. My friendship with Carole and all the special new relationships I have formed in the last 12 months have very firmly further enriched my world! Let my sharing be inspiration for you too!

And if you interested in forming a connection with me, I’d love to hear from you! I’m a Canadian living just outside of Toronto but you can find me easily on Instagram (kathryn.harrison.art), Twitter (KathHarrisonArt), by email (kharrison@flipturnpublishing.com) or through the website, http://weedsinnanasgarden.com.

*$1 from the sale of each book will be donated to the Alzheimer Society of Canada

Happy New Year to all! Best Wishes, Kathryn

I highly recommend Kathryn's book - a joy to read with her beautiful illustrations. Need help explaining what's happening to a youngster, check out this book! Thank you for being a guest today my friend.

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Best Wishes in the new year!

Carole

cbrecht4@gmail.com