Blog > How to Recover When You’re Disappointed in Yourself

How to Recover When You’re Disappointed in Yourself

Everybody feels disappointed in a situation now and again. But for caregivers, those feelings can be really awful. You might feel as if you’re letting your senior down or as if you’re not really the right person to care for her. It’s important to get a handle on those feelings.

You’re Only One Person

The first thing to remember is that there is only one of you. If you’re a primary family caregiver and you’re the only one, you’re already doing all that you can do. Setting unrealistic expectations for yourself is not going to help the situation. Try to remember what you would tell someone else in this situation and remember that.

Is it Really That Bad?

When you’re a little calmer, ask yourself if whatever happened is really that bad. There are a lot of reasons to be disappointed in something that happened while you were in charge as a caregiver. The situation might not be as big as it feels right now in your head. Take a little while and reflect on it.

Did the Situation Cause an Emergency?

Beyond just asking yourself whether the situation was really as bad as it feels, go a little bit further. Did whatever happened cause an actual emergency? Chances are very good that the answer to this is no. Even if it did become an emergency, there are likely things you can learn from what happened. If you’re expecting too much from yourself, lighten up. If you can learn, do so.

Figure out What Might Help

What would make any of this better right now? Are you hungry? Do you need to sleep for a little while? Take a few minutes and honestly assess what you really need most right now. If there’s a way at all for you to get what you need, make that happen. Afterward you might find you’re not as disappointed as you were at first.

When Did You Have a Break Last?

Finally, when did you last take any sort of break that’s just for you? It’s probably been a lot longer than you realize at first. It might just be time to line up some respite from elderly care providers and take an afternoon or a whole day just for yourself. You need regular breaks, even if you don’t think that you do.

There are going to be times that you feel disappointed in how something turned out in relation to a caregiving situation. But if you beat yourself up over those times, you’re not doing yourself any good.

If you are considering elderly care in Fort White, FL, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts Home Care. Call today: 352-225-3727.