I had never made a connection between sports, caregiving, and how positive affirmations could help build caregiver confidence until I heard Dr. Ivan Joseph speak about his own experience. 

Dr. Joseph went from being a soccer coach at a small university in Iowa to being the Director of Athletics at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario. 

Knowing that self-confidence was going to be critical to his success, he wrote a “personal brag letter” to himself. He said congratulating himself for the things he had already accomplished made him feel confident that he would be able to manage the responsibilities of this new position. 

When he was feeling insecure or vulnerable, he would pull out that letter and remind himself that he had the ability to do what needed to be done. Dr. Joseph knew that repeating three positive affirmations a day could actually rewire his brain, so every day, he would mentally tell himself, “You’ve got this. You’ve got this. You’ve got this.” 

Dr. Joseph’s talk made me think about caregivers. I believe if you get up every morning and tell yourself, “I can do this” or “I will get through this,” you are sending a powerful message to your brain. 

Your brain will believe what you tell it. So if you tell yourself that you have the strength, courage, and ability to handle any situation, you will find it, even when things and you need to develop a new game plan. 

Thought for the Day

"I trust that I have the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual strength I need to make the tough decisions and do what’s best for both of us."