10 Minute Reset Write Release
It’s OK to be frustrated. You’re dealing with more than most people could fatham. If you’re anything like me, I didn’t want to burden my friends and family with my constant bad news or complaining. It didn’t feel good to be the Debbie Downer of the group. That’s a fair feeling. However, it is important that you be able to express your negative feelings. Don’t sit in them for too long but feel them, label them and release them. If you’re constantly angry or you’re finding that your fuse is shorter than it’s ever been, this exercise is for you.
Step 1: Write It Down – All of it! Even the ugly bits!
The first step in this process is to write down everything that is frustrating you right now. All of it! There’s nothing too big or too small for this list. Write down all the things you wish you could scream about or want to say that you don’t feel is appropriate to say out loud. Don’t worry… not one is reading this list. Got to step two to find out what to do with it.
Step 2: Categorize Your List
Transfer everything into two categories. Things you can change and things you cannot change.
Things You Can NOT Change:
Take a moment with this list. Scream if you need to. Pray if you need to. Give yourself a moment to feel these emotions. THEN, wad that piece of paper up and throw it away. Release yourself from that this. People tend to shy away from expressing negativity for fear that it will create a snowball effect or reinforce unhealthy emotional processing. That can certainly be true. However, this exercise is about allowing you to feel it, express it and giving you the tools to move through it constructively.
It’s important not to reinforce negative thoughts but to have a healthy way of releasing them.
Things you CAN Change:
I want you to pick one thing on this list that you can work on changing for the next 10 minutes. You don’t have to complete it but this is an excellent opportunity to set positive change in motion. This will reset your brain and rather than producing cortisol from stress, you’ll produce dopemine (a mood boost) from knowing that you’re moving yourself, your family and/or your household in the right direction.
Dowload the 10-Minute Reset Exercise
We give you everything you need to complete this exercise in a FREE download.
Download one for the each member of the family.
If you do this exercise as a family. It may be helpful to ask everyone to go to a private space to create their initial list. Children especially are more likely to open up honestly if they don’t feel like a parent and look over their should and view their private thoughts. Set a timer for 2 minutes. Everyone writes whatever they want and then you come together to go through the rest of the exercise together.
Access FREE Dowloadable Guides
Our guides are FREE to family caregivers and those who are looking for ways to support a caregiver. Download them today. Here are a few to get you started. You can always visitor our RESOURCES page to find more.
Caregiver Action Plan - Our most comprehensive guide includes everything you need to perform a needs assessment, establish trackers, activate your community and schedule your own self-care.
Self-Care Planner - You can't forget to take care of yourself while caring for your loved one.
Hospital Packing Guide - This guide comes complete with checklists and links to some of our favorite items.
Gratitude Journal - A caregiver's mental and physical health will greatly impact the state of the entire household. Sometimes you may need a little prompt to recalibrate.
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