SEPTEMBER THEME: Tenacity

"Positivity, confidence, and persistence are key in life, so never give up on yourself." ~ Khalid

As caregivers, we know all too well how much life demands persistence. Whether we're trying to stay on top of all of our loved ones' appointments or managing our own stress and anxieties, we are constantly being pushed to keep going. It becomes easy to think of persistence, and therefore tenacity, as something that will bring us to a clear end point. However, tenacity, in it's simplest terms is "the determination to continue what you are doing" (Cambridge Dictionary).

Even though life is often unpredictable and at times overwhelming, tenacity can encourage us to keep doing the little and big things that get us by day-by-day. This month, we explored how we can adopt a "realistic optimist" mindset and practice healthy coping mechanisms. We have the tools within us to persist and we are not alone.

3 TOOLS TO DEVELOP TENACITY:

Embrace Adaptability and Flexibility - Change is a constant in life and while that may on the surface seem to contrast with tenacity, by embracing adaptability and flexibility, we can better navigate the challenges we encounter and find the creativity needed to keep moving forward.
Find Your Support Network - While sometimes we need independence to persist, at other times, a little help and encouragement from others may be what we need to keep going. Whether your support network is just a couple people or a large group, having others you can count on can give you the boost you need.
Cultivate a Positive Mindset - As we discussed this month, it's possible to be realistic and optimistic. By recognizing the negative aspects of life without becoming consumed by them, we can more accurately tackle the hurdles we face and move forward.

If I have anything, it's tenacity.

~ Hal Sparks

THEME AFFIRMATIONS
Use affirmations to inspire you or reframe your thoughts

Through persistence, I find the hope to move forward
I walk away from unsolvable problems and towards solutions
I build healthy coping skills that bring me relief and strength
I have the power within me to keep going even during difficult times

APPS FOR GUIDED MEDITATION

Atoms - This app helps you build healthy habits based on the methods shared in James Clear’s book Atomic Habits.
Motivate - This app shares five inspirational videos every day that will help motivate and inspire you.
Pixel Thoughts provides a 60 second meditation that can support you through stressful times.
Fabulous is a self-care app with coaching lessons, habit reminders, motivational content, and mindfulness exercises.

PODCASTS

Happiness Break: Embodying Resilience, With Prentis Hemphill - This guided mediation explores how we can use memories to build resilience.
Can You Become a “Practical” Optimist? - This podcast episode discusses how we can find optimism even through life’s challenges.
Practical Grounding Methods to Combat Anxiety - This podcast episode shares different grounding techniques we can use to combat anxiety.

Suicide Prevention with Dr. Marlon Rollins - This podcast episode discusses how we can heal from and prevent suicide.

BOOKS

Things in Nature Merely Grow - This book by Yiyun Li challenges common conceptions of grief as she wrestles with the deaths of her sons by suicide.
The Island of Last Things - This dystopian novel by Emma Sloley explores the lives of two zookeepers in the last zoo in the world.
Born in Flames: The Business of Arson and the Remaking of the American City - This book by Bench Ansfield examines the history of housing insecurity in the United States and around the world.
Blessings and Disasters: A Story of Alabama - This book by Alexis Okeowo examines the complexities and joys of living in Alabama.

ARTICLES

Persistence: Definition, Benefits, & Examples - This article dives into what persistence is and how it can help us in our lives.
Realistic and Optimistic: Managing Mindset in Challenging Times - This article describes the importance of being both optimistic and realistic and what we can do to balance both.
Healthy Coping: 24 Mechanisms & Skills For Positive Coping - This article provides different ways we can manage stress.
7 Ways Mentally Strong People Deal With Life Changes - This article explores seven ways we can handle the challenges we encounter in life.

Next QPR Suicide Prevention Training is TONIGHT:

Thursday, September 25 at 7 pm ET

Please register here to receive the Zoom link. You need only register for ONE two-hour session. Space is limited for each session, so please register only for a time you know you can attend so spaces don't fill up and prevent others from attending.

September's Book Club will be TOMORROW, Friday, September 26 at 11 am ET on Zoom. We will be discussing the podcast "Addressing Motivation” hosted by psychologist Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis, which goes over the barriers we face in terms of motivation and how we can overcome them.

If you're interested in receiving our Monthly Book Club reminders and weighing-in on the selections - join our Book Club mailing list here.

November is National Family Caregivers Month and we're celebrating caregivers with our 6th Annual Caring for the Caregivers Virtual Summit 2025 on Thursday, November 6 from 10 am to 2:30 pm ET. Speakers will be announced SOON! Advanced registration via Zoom is required.

October's theme is Courage. Next month, we will be exploring growing from mistakes, strength amidst adversity, progress over perfection, and learning to say "no." With micro-goals, it’s easier to take the next right step - as Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step.” Check out October's Micro-Challenges Calendar here.

Courage to Caregivers Breathing Practice for October: Deer Seal Breathing

As we support caregivers to make breathing and meditation a practice, we're pleased to share our Breathing Meditation Facilitator Cathy and her monthly breathing practice how-to videos. You can join us for October's Breathing Practice - with this practice, we can find focus and calm through taking turns beathing out of each nostril. This breath is particularly helpful to do before you have a presentation or meeting and need some extra concentration. You can watch October's instructional video for Deer Seal Breathing here, and remember to subscribe to our 2025 Monthly Breathing Practices playlist to stay updated each month. You can also subscribe to our Breathing Meditation playlist, where we have four years of our weekly breathing meditation recordings, and follow along on our Spotify Breathing Meditation playlist.

The mission of Courage to Caregivers is to empower and equip carers to navigate their journey. We envision a world where healthy carers lead to healthier families and communities. We're in the caregiver burnout prevention business!