By Nicole Levison

One Moment at a Time

Being a caregiver is serious business-not only must you take care of your own needs, but you care for someone else with special needs.

So how does one take the time to enjoy the moment? Past hurts, regrets, anger, fear, guilt, future uncertainties-these are the kinds of emotions that drag down a person and make it a challenge to live in and appreciate the moment. Here are some tips to consider:

• Laugh often. Research has concluded that the average adult laughs approximately 15 times a day, while toddlers laugh about 400 times daily! Why does our laugh level drop so drastically when we grow older? The obvious answers: stress, responsibilities, and lack of time to waste on such excesses as humor. Just like the proverbial "stopping to smell the roses," we often don't take the time to stop and giggle at a moment, at ourselves, at life's little sillies. The reality is that laughter increases the endorphin levels in our brains and thereby boosts morale. Much like exercise, laughter improves our physical and mental well-being; much like drinking water, you can hardly ever do it too much.
  
• Meditate & pace yourself. Allowing yourself time in the moment makes life a less reactionary experience. While meditation is sometimes hard to find time for, if you learn to take a few minutes each day to just breathe deeply, you will find that you are able to pace yourself and be more productive in the end. When someone demands an answer for something I am not prepared to deal with, I find it helpful to say, "I need to think about this and get back to you."
  
• Break it down. Anyone who has ever dealt with depression knows it is difficult to beat the blues and let go of negativity and cynicism, but focusing on taking each moment and day as it comes allows life to be a lot less overwhelming. Rather than looking at the whole pile of paperwork, whittle it down one page at a time. If you find prioritizing difficult, keep a diary or to-do list and track your progress.
  
• Remember: this too will pass. Ah, this is tricky to bear in mind, because during a traumatic, stressful, or frustrating period nothing else seems to exist or matter. While these anxieties may remain in your memory, they do not have to dominate your energy.
  
• Know that life is too short to waste. This simple idea can fuel you to pursue activities and ideas that are important to you, as well as free you from the harmful routines that we sometimes find ourselves involved in.
  
• Reach out. When it seems like life is moving too fast, it may be a good time to call, write, and visit with those you care about. It is amazing how time spent with loved ones can ground a troubled soul.
  
• Listen to your body. The signals are there: You feel down, strung out, tense, stretched thin, aggravated, achy, or short-tempered-this is your inner self communicating. What is it telling you? Lay off the caffeine or other substances that affect mood? Turn off the television or radio? Unplug from all that you can and try to rest, stretch, or have some fun? Even if it is only for 15 minutes, a rejuvenating break can transform your whole outlook!

While these philosophies require practice, they are also innate to us. It seems as we get older, we sometimes temporarily lose or ignore our instinctual abilities to treat ourselves right. Don't let this happen to you! Start right now by doing something positive for yourself-everyone around you will benefit.