JULY THEME: Wellness

“But the real secret to lifelong good health is actually the opposite:

Let your body take care of you.”

– Deepak Chopra

Wellness is all about our journey to become the best versions of ourselves! Through wellness, we embrace wholeness by taking a holistic view of our health. Whether it be through physical exercise, connecting with our friends and loved ones, or caring for our environment, we are taking steps toward our wellness. 

You might be saying, "Wait, but I thought Courage to Caregivers was all about cultivating a growth mindset. How can we become the best versions of ourselves if we are always learning?" And you would be right to ask that question! Wellness is not a straight path forward. Often constructed as possessing at least six different dimensions (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental), wellness encourages us to take a multi-faceted and active approach to our health and wellbeing (Global Wellness Institute). As cliché as it may sound, wellness is about the journey, not just about the end goal.

3 TOOLS FOR STARTING YOUR WELLNESS JOURNEY

1. Slow Down and Focus - Resting is just as important--and at times even more important--than being active. By allowing ourselves time to recharge and reflect, we can more accurately see our areas of improvement and what steps we can take toward growth.
2. Don't Forget to Move Either - This month we discussed how moving with courage means moving with love for ourselves and our bodies. By taking care of our physical health, we can feel better, not just physically, but emotionally as well.
3. Remember to Breathe - If you've watched any of our breathing exercises, you know all about the power of the breath in shaping our physical and mental wellbeing. If you are looking for joy, try Laughter Breathing! Feeling anxious? Try Bellows Breath. Simply want to cool down? Sitali Breath may be for you.

Wellness when broken down into its various dimensions may feel overwhelming, but just keep in mind that every step you take in caring for your health and wellbeing matters. When we take care of our own bodies and minds, we learn how to care not just for ourselves, but for our loved ones and community as well. You got this!

Our bodies are our gardens – our wills are our gardeners.

– William Shakespeare

THEME AFFIRMATIONS
Use affirmations to inspire you or reframe your thoughts

• When I sleep, I allow my body and mind to rest and recharge.

• When I move, I activate my courage and strength.

• Every accomplishment makes me stronger.

• I create my own unique sanctuary to find peace.

APPS FOR GUIDED MEDITATION

• Noisli - This website allows you to mix together different sounds and playlists to create your own white noise machine.

• FitOn - This app provides advice, courses, guides, and workouts that will help you exercise and move your body.

• Motivate - This app shares five inspirational videos every day that will help motivate and inspire you.

• Aura - This multi-purpose app helps you regulate your emotions and find wellness through a personalized track that connects you to breathing and mindfulness exercises.

PODCASTS 

• What if Sleep Isn’t the Problem, but How You Think About it Is? - This podcast episode looks into how understanding our natural biorhythms can help with sleep.

• And We All Fall Down feat. Consuella Marshall - This podcast episode shares advice on how we can prevent falls as we age.

• How to Do Hard Things - This podcast episode explores how we can move forward in moments where we feel lost.

• Happiness Break: Making Space for You, with Alex Elle - This short podcast episode provides an exercise for making space for yourself.

BOOKS

• Restful Sleep - This book by Deepak Chopra, M.D. provides suggestions for overcoming insomnia through Ayurveda, an Ancient Indian science of life.

• The Slip - This novel by Lucas Schaefer looks into a boxing gym in Austin, Texas where people of various backgrounds meet.

• Self-Care for Caregivers: A Practical Guide for Caring for You While You Care for Your Loved One - This book by caregiver Susanne White provides self-care tips for caregivers.

• Braided Heritage - This book by Jessica B. Harris examines the intertwining of Indigenous, European, and African recipes.

ARTICLES

• Sleep Hygiene: Simple Practices for Better Rest - This article provides tips for better sleep based on research.

• Health Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity - This article explains why movement is important for adults.

• 17 Self-Discipline Exercises to Help Build Self-Control - This article explores how we can practice better self-discipline in our lives.

• How to Make a More Peaceful Home - This article examines various ways we can make our homes more peaceful.

July is BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month! Officially recognized in 2008, this month honors the legacy of Bebe Moore Campbell's advocacy work and research on the mental health needs of Black and other marginalized communities. By acknowledging BIPOC communities' unique needs and challenges this month and every month, we can ensure everyone receives the support they need to thrive and grow. Below, we have shared some of our favorite resources.

• Courage to Caregivers' BIPOC and Allyship Resource page on our website has links to all of our favorite community partner resources for caregivers.  
• Mental Health America (MHA) provides a list of fast facts on caregiving in BIPOC communities and the different cultural expectations that exist between different groups regarding caregiving responsibility.
  • View more of MHA's BIPOC mental health resources here.
  • View MHA's 2025 BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month toolkit here.
• The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) has a series of articles on supporting BIPOC communities.
  • DBSA's Identity and Culture page breaks down how various cultural and identity factors impact mental health.
  • DBSA's Tips to Ensure Culturally Competent Care article gives insight into how BIPOC caregivers can make sure they receive culturally competent care.
• The Trevor Project provides a list of resources specifically for BIPOC individuals of the LGBTQ+ community.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE!

All donations made through August 24 will be matched by an anonymous donor and applied to our Annual Day of Giving appeal!

August's Book Club will be Friday, August 29 at 11 am ET on Zoom. We will be discussing Michelle Sullivan's TedTalk "Asking for Help is a Strength, Not a Weakness" - A heartwarming and empowering talk about how everyone needs support—and how asking for help can lead to deeper connection and resilience. 

August's theme is ADVOCACY. Next month, we will be exploring how to create support networks, manage stress, and communicate effectively. 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 August's Micro-Challenges Calendar here.

Courage to Caregivers Breathing Practice for August: Bellows Breath

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 August's Breathing Practice - with this practice, we can support our digestive system and bring ourselves to inner state of calm during stressful moments. You can watch August's instructional video for Bellows Breath 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!

©2025 Courage to Caregivers, Inc.