The Story Behind the Healing Journal

Caregivers are so selfless in loving and caring for their dependants. Until they burn out, fall ill, or forgo other aspects of a healthy life.

If only they could receive a fraction of the care that their dependants get, and toolkits to help them shortcut or resolve painful dilemmas, what a difference it would make.

Networks and meaningful resources play a huge role in equipping caregivers for the marathon ahead.

Not being connected leaves them isolated; not receiving the right resources at the right moment leaves them overwhelmed by the crazy amount of info to trudge through, unsure what is useful and what is just clutter.

It was having this frustration, anger, despair, sleepless nights, and wondering why there were so many journals on self-care, pregnancy and baby’s first milestones, and tons of literature on caregiving, but yet I could not find a journal to heal and thrive as a caregiver.

I wished there could have been a journal to help me process my emotions and thoughts, guide my way from grief to acceptance to being empowered, and address the nitty-gritty part.

To me, self-care isn’t just about the exercise, eating right, breathing well and escaping into a spa. It is also about looking at causes of my own unexpected behaviour, blind spots to address, simmering volcanoes to identify, beliefs to reassess, and finding ways to change fundamental patterns that have been unconsciously sabotaging the way I caregive for my sons, my family and myself.

Self-care isn’t meant to serve as a band-aid for a bad day. It is a means to heal, and in our healing journey, we are guided to identify preventive, predictive and productive ways to manage our caregiving roles better.

Learning from the caregivers around me, highlighting the most useful lessons that showed how small changes done consistently can have great impact, it is my wish for everyone to have access to these resources without suffering through endless googling or fruitless searching.

If you know someone who love a boost in their healing journey, get them a Healing Journal. The funds raised go towards giving vulnerable caregivers access to CaringSG programmes for networks and resources.

Donate here: https://give.asia/campaign/donate-to-support-a-caregiver#/story