MARCH THEME: Mindfulness

When life seems to be breaking apart around us, being told to "be mindful" can feel insensitive at best and downright insulting at worst. Why should we center on ourselves when there is so much we have to do as caregivers? But mindfulness, can be instrumental in encouraging self-compassion, which in turn can inspire greater empathy.

Mindfulness is the "moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens" (Source). According to a recent study, mindfulness and self-compassion are positively linked with empathy. By bringing self-compassion into our lives, we can more readily extend empathy toward other people.

How will you embrace mindfulness and self-compassion in your daily life?

3 TOOLS FOR SELF-COMPASSIONATE MINDFULNESS

1. Self-compassion as a practice of good will - It's important to remember that self-compassion is about accepting our present moment and circumstances so we can open ourselves up to growth. While we may not be able to make the pain go away in the moment, we can prepare ourselves to take action.
2. It's okay for self-compassion to feel hard - It's normal to struggle to practice self-compassion and find yourself remembering old pains. When that happens, focus on your breath and bodily sensations. It's okay to learn self-compassion at your own pace. By doing so, you are already practicing self-compassion!
3. Try the self-compassion break - The self-compassion break is a mindfulness practice that can help in moments of stress. First, acknowledge that this a stressful moment. Next, remember that you are not alone in struggling. Finally, recognize a kind phrase toward yourself such as "may I be strong" or "may I be patient."

(Adapted from "Self-Compassion Practices" by the Self-Compassion Institute)

“Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life.” -Buddha

THEME AFFIRMATIONS
Use affirmations to inspire you or reframe your thoughts

• I recognize emotion as an intrinsic part of my life

• I find peace in the little pleasures that surround me

• Laughter brings light to my heart

• I carry mindful attitude wherever I go

APPS FOR GUIDED MEDITATION

• Healthy Minds Program - This free app uses neuroscience to boost mental health and wellbeing.

• Calm - This app provides guided and unguided meditations as well as different soundscapes and music to help ground you in the moment.

• Happify - This app helps with increasing optimism through games and programs designed to help with boosting life satisfaction.

• Breethe - This app provides a variety of mindfulness exercises to help you find relief at any moment of the day or night.

PODCASTS

• Emotional Intelligence Is Influence - This quick episode examines how understanding our emotions can help to grow and lead.

• Happiness Break: Finding Calm in Uncertainty - This episode provides a quick exercise for how we can find calm in uncertain situations.

• The Journey to Joy and Freedom with Tina Lifford - This episode discusses how we can embrace authenticity and find joy and freedom.

• Breathe - This episode examines the importance of breath in our lives.

BOOKS

• I Hope You Find What You're Looking for - This novel by Bsrat Mezghebe dives into the intricacies within an Eritrean immigrant family as they wrestle with the past.

• You Know Nothing - This short story collection by Yasmina Din Madden explores the lives of various women as they negotiate with their identities.

• The Calico Cat at the Chibineko Kitchen - This novel by Yuta Takahashi tells the story of a magical kitchen where you can summon anyone from your past.

• Leaving Home: A Memoir in Full Colour - This memoir by Mark Haddon examines his life as a cartoonist and care assistant.

ARTICLES

• Emotional Regulation: 5 Evidence-Based Regulation Techniques - This article provides information on the science behind emotion regulation and tips for how we can better manage our emotions.

• How to Become More Mindful in Your Everyday Life - This article provides simple suggestions for how we can become more mindful in our everyday lives.

• A laugh a day keeps the doctor away? - This article examines how laughter can help with depression and bridging people together.

• How to Use Mindfulness to Reduce Caregiver Stress and Prevent Burnout - This article provides a few mindfulness exercises caregivers can practice to find relief.

In 1980, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) established March as Brain Injury Awareness Month (Source) and seven years later March also became recognized as National Developmental Disabilities Month (Source). This year, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) is acknowledging National Developmental Disabilities Month through the theme of "We’re Here: Then, Now, Always" to emphasize the importance of advocating for the needs of people with developmental disabilities throughout the year. This month, we are sharing some of our favorite resources below.

General Information and Resources

• The NACDD offers advocacy resources for people with developmental disabilities and their loved ones.
• The Arc of Monmouth provides of list of resources to support loved ones with developmental disabilities.
• Ohio State University's  “Can You Hear Us Now?” Project shares clear language research articles for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• The BIAA's article "What is a Brain Injury" explains different types of brain injuries and their causes.
• The Brain Injury Association of Ohio has a free, confidential helpline (833-783-1495) to support survivors, caregivers, families, and professionals. A specialist is on the line M-F 8am-5pm.

 Resources for Caregivers

• THINK+change offers a video series interviewing caregivers of adults with developmental disabilities.
• The BIAA's Caregiver Resource Center provides articles and stories for and by caregivers supporting brain injury survivors.
• Brainline shares a list of videos and articles to support caregivers of people living with traumatic brain injuries.
• OCALI is an advocacy organization that promotes access for people with disabilities. Their website hosts many resources and guides for increasing accessibility.

Northeast Ohio Caregivers - Join us for a fundraiser on Saturday, April 11 at 7 pm in Chagrin Falls! Join Steinway Artist Hsing-ay Hsu as she shares her caregiver journey, performs works by Chopin and Liszt, and leads interactive experiences based on her Conscious Listening™ approach - a whole brain method for engaging with music and life. This event is a fundraiser benefiting Courage to Caregivers, with the mission to empower and equip caregivers to navigate their journey. Tickets available on Eventbrite. FREE for full-time unpaid family caregivers - message Kristi@CouragetoCaregivers.org for details if you qualify!

Our next Question, Persuade, and Refer/QPR  Suicide Prevention training is today, Thursday, March 26 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. 

April's theme is Common Humanity. We will be building bridges, acknowledging grief and loss, and breaking through loneliness. 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 April's Micro-Challenges Calendar here.

Courage to Caregivers Breathing Practice for April: Laughter 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 April's Breathing Practice - with this practice, we will let ourselves find joy through laughing from deep within our bellies. This breath is particularly helpful when you need a fun pick-me-up.. You can watch April's instructional video for Laughter Breathing here, and remember to subscribe to our 2026 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!

©2026 Courage to Caregivers, Inc.