10/26/2026
THE SIDE OF CAREGIVING NOBODY PUTS ON THE INSPIRATIONAL POSTERS.
You know, the side where love and resentment can exist in the same sentence.
Where you're so exhausted you want to cry, but you don't even have time for that.
Where you fantasize about 24 hours when nobody needs you, asks you a question, or expects you to make another decision.
Where you love the person you're caring for with everything you have, but sometimes hate what your life has become.
Where you feel guilty for wanting a break.
And then feel guilty for not enjoying the break when you finally get one.
Where people tell you what an amazing person you are for doing what you do, but nobody asks how the hell YOU are doing.
Where you watch other people take vacations, make plans, enjoy their freedom, and live their lives while you're trying to figure out who's going to take care of your loved one so you can go to the damn grocery store.
Yeah. THAT side of caregiving.
The side nobody wants to talk about because it doesn't fit the beautiful narrative of unconditional love, sacrifice, and being someone's hero.
Well, after 36 years of caregiving, I've got something to say about that.
I'm tired of caregivers being celebrated for how much they're willing to sacrifice instead of being supported so they don't have to sacrifice everything.
I'm tired of caregivers being told to practice self-care when what they really need is help, support, boundaries, and permission to have a life of their own.
And I'm tired of caregivers feeling ashamed for having human emotions about an incredibly difficult situation.
Here's what I believe.
You can be a damn good caregiver and still struggle with the life caregiving has created for you.
Both things can be true.
And you don't have to pretend otherwise.
Because I think we all need to be able to talk about the hard stuff.
Just because we do doesn't mean we are not grateful and love the person we are caring for.
We can still experience:
The resentment.
The guilt.
The loneliness.
The anger.
The grief.
The exhaustion.
And the parts of ourselves we've lost along the way.
The danger comes when we feel like we can't say those things out loud.
But we're also going to talk about how to get some of those pieces back.
Because I don't believe caregiving has to mean the end of YOUR life.
I won't sugarcoat caregiving. But I won't tell you you're stuck living this way forever, either.
If you're tired of the inspirational quotes and ready for someone to talk about the truth...
Welcome. You found your people.
👇 Tell me something about caregiving you wish people would stop sugarcoating.
Lynette ❤
