You are not alone
I recently read that parenting is a lot like meditating.
"We learn how to sit with discomfort.
And try our best not to lose our sh*t.
It’s not about being calm all the time.
It’s about finding your center in the midst of chaos."
If you have been in a room with me in the past four years, you know that parenting (and my new effort for zen in the chaos) has been completely intertwined with my mindfulness journey.
Walking the tightrope between
our 9-5s and our 5-9s
We recently hosted a mindfulness program for parents and caregivers that are also frontline home care and social workers in their paid day jobs.
We connected and lamented about the heavy weight we each feel to walk the tightrope between our 9-5s and our 5-9s.
Each of the participants worked with each other, but as we practiced together, and each personal story was shared, and smiles and head nods of compassion exchanged, there was a lightness to the room.
We felt bonded in the discomfort.
Comforted by space to practice tools that can help us when we’re alone, and comforted to know we are, in actuality, never alone.
But the reality is chronic stress is often deeply personal. And can feel lonely.
The reality is, this is personal. But we don't have to feel alone in the struggle.
The ability to regulate my own nervous system through mindfulness tools and practices has made every tantrum and sleep deprived night more bearable and has empowered me with confidence to keep going through the hardest parts of this season of life.
👉 Caregivers - no matter their income, race or religious background - deserve access to resources and tools that reduce the dangerous and debilitating symptoms associated with stress and burnout.
The science shows that access to mindfulness tools produce many mental and physical health benefits for children and adults including but not limited to:
↘ REDUCED symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety, burnout, chronic pain, blood pressure (and more)...
↗ IMPROVED emotional regulation and resilience, focus and attention, sleep, immune function, impulse control, eating-related behaviors.
The power of accessible mindfulness is transformative for our community members.
As a social worker caring for a parent with dementia.
As teen moms.
As a teacher grappling with the anxiety of going to work after a serious gun violence threat.
We often talk about how the goal of mindfulness is not to strive for "relaxation" or "calm." Instead, it is to notice and accept your thoughts and feelings as they are in that very moment.
When I recognize the overwhelming roller coaster of emotions that come up during the heat of bedtime with an infant and preschooler, for example, I am reminded of CMP’s Key Attitudes for Practicing Mindfulness. I find I have more patience and self-compassion through the ups and downs.
I am grateful to have two healthy girls that I get to parent. It is a job I do not take for granted. I accept the chaos and trust in the need to let go of the hard days and the challenging behavior. I revel in the moments where play can bring me closer to my family.
Are you a caregiver? How is mindfulness showing up in your life?
Gratefully,
Ella Crivello
Executive Director, Community Mindfulness Project
Partner Celebration
Catalyst CT the Hub (formerly known as RYASAP)
One of Community Mindfulness Project's core values is "Co-Learning and Humility." We learn and grow alongside our team members, community members and partners; we draw from collective wisdom, calibrating our understanding as new knowledge is gained through experience, study, reflection and connection. On a quarterly basis, we reflect and set action plans across all levels of the team, part time to full time, where we need to grow and learn.
This #suicideawarenessmonth, as part of our team's training to strengthen our skills and expertise in Behavioral Healthcare, we are proud to have completed the training The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale administered by The Columbia Lighthouse Project from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.