FEBRUARY THEME: Self-Discovery

“Finding oneself is a journey, not a destination.” — Unknown

In January, we discussed the power of setting intentions for who we want to be. Now at the end of February, we are well into our personal journeys of self-discovery. Some of us may be finding our paths as straightforward as we had hoped while others of us may be feeling challenged by the unexpected directions our roads are taking us. Wherever you may be on your journey, now is a great moment to pause and reflect.

As the quote states above, self-discovery is about the journey, not the destination. How have you grown in the last two months? Where do you hope to improve? Who has supported you? By taking a break to reflect, we can recognize our own inner strengths and treat ourselves with the self-compassion we need. 

 TOOLS FOR SELF-DISCOVERY

1.  Be Compassionate Toward Yourself. While this is often easier said than done, remember that there are MANY ways to be compassionate toward yourself. Check out this toolkit for some suggestions!
2. Look for Joy in Your Life. Acknowledging joy in your life does not mean ignoring your pain or sadness. Rather, finding joy can mean recognizing the small and big things that boost your soul and encourage you to keep going even during challenging times.
3. Identify Your Strengths. We all have strengths that motivate us and help us through difficult dilemmas, but identifying them can be tricky. Sometimes just starting with the activities you enjoy or what others have complimented you on can be a good start.

Remember, you got this! Best wishes as you journey on! 💙 

What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

~ Mary Oliver

THEME AFFIRMATIONS
Use affirmations to inspire you or reframe your thoughts

• Little moments of joy spark meaning in my life

• I can always find my strengths within me

• By practicing self-compassion, I allow myself to grow

• Self-discovery is an exciting, ongoing journey

APPS FOR GUIDED MEDITATION

• NPR’s Joy Generator - This app allows you to read and watch short articles and clips that are meant to arouse feelings of joy.

• VIA Character Test - Take this free, validated test to learn more about your strengths.

• The Self-Compassion App - This app provides tools and meditations to help us become more compassionate and caring.

• My Diary - This app allows you to customize your own diary and begin your journey of self-discovery through journaling.

PODCASTS 

• Finding Joy When You Have Limited Free Time - This podcast episode explores how we can find happiness even when we are busy.

• Rising Overcoming Your Stuck Season with Dr. Thema - This podcast episode encourages us to keep rising, growing, and thriving.

• You're Allowed to Prioritize Yourself Without Guilt - This short episode explains how prioritizing ourselves isn’t about neglecting others, but protecting our own capacities.

• Happiness Break: Finding Yourself in Silence - This podcast episode shares a short exercise for how we can find ourselves.

BOOKS

• The Seven Daughters of Dupree - This novel by Nikesha Elise Williams follows seven generations of women as they navigate generational trauma and freedom.

• How We Show Up - This book by Mia Birdsong examines how recognizing our interdependence and need for belonging can help us thrive.

• Bloom How You Must - This book by Tara Pringle Jefferson explores the value of self and community care for Black women.

• Call Me Ishmaelle - This novel by Xiaolu Guo provides a new take on the Moby Dick story.

ARTICLES

• Finding Joy During Difficult Times - This article provides quick tips for how we can find joy during hard times.

• How to Find Inner Resolve in Times of Upheaval - This article dives into how we can find our inner resolve during difficult times.

• Can Self-Compassion Change the Way You See Society? - This article examines how self-compassion can help us be more compassionate toward others.

• 5 Self-Discovery Tips Therapists Swear By - This article shares five tips for how we can learn more about ourselves.

This year marks the 100th year of national observance of Black history (History). Although only formally recognized in 1976 by the federal government, Black History Month traces its beginnings to African American Life and History's (ASALH) sponsorship of a national Negro History Week in 1926. This year, the ASALH has named the theme as "A Century of Black History Commemorations" to recognize the importance of studying an accurate and inclusive history.

Acknowledging the unique experiences and challenges Black and African American caregivers face is vital to ensuring all caregivers receive the support they need this and every month.

Relevant Resources:

• For more information related to Black and African American mental health and available resources, visit Mental Health America's dedicated page here.
• The Mental Health Coalition has also created a Roadmap to Black Mental Health that can be seen here.
• BEAM provides alternative wellness and care systems for Black and other marginalized communities.
• Call BlackLine is a crisis call and text line that prioritizes BIPOC individuals through peer support.
• Therapy for Black Girls provides culturally responsive mental health support for Black girls and women.
• Free Black Therapy provides free therapy for Black and African American individuals who lack adequate funds or healthcare. They specifically connect Black individuals with Black therapists.
• The Marsha P. Johnson Institute protects and advocates for the rights and safety of Black transgender people in the United States. 

Caregiving-Specific Information:

• Racial Disparities in Alzheimer's Care feat. Valene Campbell is a podcast episode that interviews dementia advocate Valene Campbell on the inequities within the healthcare system.
• Unique Caregiving Challenges the Black Community is Navigating and What Can Help is an article that discusses the unique hurdles that Black carers encounter and what can be done.

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!

Courage to Caregivers Breathing Practice for March: Breath Awareness

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 March's Breathing Practice - with this practice, we will take a moment to notice a function of our bodies we often take for granted, breathing. By becoming aware of our breath, we can become aware of our body and mind. You can watch March's instructional video for Breath Awareness 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.