“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”
George A. Moore
The conversation is one of the most challenging aspects of caregiving. Planning and coordinating with ones who are now the adult children of an aging parent can send you back in time like a freight train to personal issues that may have never been resolved. Most people refer to this as family dynamics. I call it “going back home”.
However, the beauty of this journey is the process of cultivating the ability to step back and see beliefs and perhaps past misunderstandings from an adult perspective. These false beliefs from childhood can limit each of us from becoming who we were meant to be in life. Ok, I won’t lie; the process can get a little messy at times. But in the end, it can set you free.
That is why the conversation, while both a logistical and emotional challenge, is one that offers not only the opportunity for new insight and personal growth, but also the opportunity to create a family legacy with good outcomes for everyone.
Is your family a Team?
Ah, yes, the Checklist!
Why do I celebrate the checklist.....think it’s the answer to every problem, the first thing you should grab and essential to everything you ever do?
Because it is. The checklist is what pilots use every time they take off, even if they fly every day. It’s what NASA uses, even though they are some of the smartest people on the planet. Engineers use it, software developers use it. Mom’s use it every day.
Having owned a construction company, I already knew what a powerful little tool the checklist was for project management. That is why the checklist is the star of the show, the best tool in the toolbox and a key component of the lovecare system.
But that's not all...
The Checklist can break up a family fight, change chaos into order, prioritize what’s important and keep you sane in a crisis. In fact, the checklist saved my life. In the depths of depression, during some of the most difficult caregiving years, the checklist was my best friend. If I couldn’t get out of bed that morning, I would make a checklist. If I was overwhelmed and couldn’t think straight, I would make a checklist. If I felt paralyzed or lost, I would make a checklist. And even if I listed the most mundane items possible like washing my hair or feed the dog, the simple act of making a list and checking things off got me going again.
The Checklist gives you context and motivation to act. I would say that it is the most used and yet most unappreciated tool in the toolbox. This is why I built my whole system around it. Whether you need help emotionally or logistically the checklist can be your best friend too.
But I realized that it’s always emotion that gets in the way of clear thinking. So, I created the system using self-checking, simple tools that keep you and your family on track. I also realized that when you focus on what works instead of what’s wrong, everyone wins.
What Are Coaches Saying About The Conversation Course?