For those caring for others ...

I've heard so many carers and parents stating that they don't have time to look after themselves.

And I totally get it.

It must be difficult to carve out some time for a self-care regime.

And feelings of guilt might come up.

On the other hand, I most certainly believe that we know and have heard these very true statements more often than we'd like to admit:

• You can't pour from an empty cup.

• The oxygen mask principle: Put on yours first, before assisting others.

Yes, this is the theory and it can feel impossible to implement it into daily life.

“With young children, I couldn’t imagine fitting in another routine. But TRE is so simple. Just a few minutes and I feel the pressure drain out. It’s become my reset button.” Suzy

Until you've tried it, that is.

Because even the smallest action can bring the biggest relief.

Let me tell you about my own experience.

I'm now back from eight weeks in Germany, where I was assisting my mum after her stay in hospital after femur surgery.

Thankfully mum didn't need care in the traditional sense, 'just' household and admin assistance.

I kept two diaries for my work and also for all the appointments, e.g. with her GP, physio, health insurance, suppliers for house adaptations, support agencies ...

I really put my mum on priority and didn't have much time for myself, because I was still seeing clients.

And the days passed so quickly.

Suddenly it was 10pm again – and I hadn't even started with chores on my own to-do list.

“As a full-time carer, I never thought I had time for myself. TRE showed me

that even a few minutes

can completely reset my body. I

feel calmer and more patient

and that helps the person I care for too.”

Trisha

What I'm saying is:

I understand what looking after others means and how one can feel that there's no time for themselves.

And caring for somebody permanently or for somebody who needs round-the-clock care is even more time-consuming.

You might recognise yourself in this – whether you are a carer or a parent.

There are TREmendous ways to gently support yourself, even when it feels like there’s no time for me-time.

And here's my experience and a suggestion for you:

Something that really made a huge difference to me and my own well-being.

They say the cobbler always wears the worst shoes – and this is quite often true for people in the helping profession.

I'm happy to report that I acted differently. And if I can do that, I'm sure you can, too.

So I gave myself permission to pause for a wee TRE practice — even just for a few minutes and sometimes when mum and I were sitting in the garden — and that was enough to notice a difference.

Admittedly, sometimes on really busy days it didn't always work, but then in bed, just before I was falling asleep, I squeezed in a wee practice.

And it only took a few minutes.

That's all I needed to feel the tension melting, my lower back relaxing and … the best bit ... ... I felt that I was much more patient and much kinder to my mum – something even her partner noticed.

I'm sure every daughter reading this will understand how challenging it can be to be around one's mum and how family dynamics can play a role.

What I’ve experienced myself is most certainly also possible for you and any carer's or parent's health and well-being.

And that prioritising one's well-being doesn't have to be time-consuming at all.

If this speaks to you, and you’d like to explore how your own body can support you too, I invite you to reach out for a chat as this is often the best first step.

“The guilt of stopping, even for a moment, was huge.

But with TRE,

I realised that looking after myself

is part of looking after my dad.

It’s the first time I don’t feel selfish for resting.”

Tom

I'd love you to know how TREmendously amazing your body is in supporting yourself.

Natural. Innate. TREmendous.