“Create an Exit Strategy”
 
       A childhood friend of mine phoned a few days ago just as I had placed my head in my hands to cry. She said she had a feeling she needed to call. She explained I had been on her mind and knew most likely nobody was reaching out to see how I was doing because we all have our lives and don’t truly know the struggles of another. She was spot on. She told me she understood my situation because she too had cared for her grandma and it had been difficult. She told me not to forget to create an exit strategy or I would find myself in a state of utter frustration and resentment complicated with feeling guilty for feeling frustrated and resentful.
 
       In the moment I didn’t understand what an exit strategy was but I did know I had not been caring for myself at the level my Soul requires. I hung up the phone and knew self-care was my exit strategy but had no clue how I was going to work that into my sun-up to eleven pm days. However, I did choose to arise the next few mornings extra early even though I was exhausted because, for me, I hear God in the deep silence before the energy of the day shifts into high gear. In those few precious moments alone I heard, Your exit strategy is your plan for re-charging your batteries with a heavy dose of knowing what your limit is energetically. Plan for a change before you are drained, frustrated and feeling resentful.
 
       Here it is, my exit strategy. I share it in hopes it helps one of you, no matter your situation, create a self-care plan. Your exit strategy for feeling and knowing you deserve to honor yourself and be empowered.
 
A. Do something for yourself every day that nurtures you!
It could be as simple as taking the fleeting ten minutes of opportunity to run to your room, lay silently on your bed, close your eyes and relax. Breathe deeply and let it all go.
B. Mitigate feelings of frustration by giving yourself a life-line!
Your life-line is the heart of your exit strategy. Feelings of frustration are a sign you are not honoring yourself. Before you end up in tears of frustration, like me, ask yourself the tough questions:
    Am I capable of this tremendous responsibility?
    Can I endure it and still care for myself without resentment or guilt?
    If I can’t and say no, will I be okay and not feel guilty or worry?
When you have honestly answered those questions then give yourself the appropriate life-line. Perhaps it is an electronic system, caregivers coming in to help out, finding sources in the community to share in or take 100% of the responsibility, calling friends and or family members to pitch in or take over the responsibility or is it a combination there of. Talk to other folks that have been in a similar situation to yours and check out blogs online for more life-line ideas. Then figure out what yours is and put it in place immediately. This alone will shift your perspective and create an opening for you to exhale.
C. Keep your dreams simmering!
All to often when we are tasked with an unexpected life-changing responsibility our personal dreams and plans are put on the back burner and forgotten about. Don’t take yours off the burner completely. Instead, move them to the side burner to simmer. Re-visit and contemplate your dream at least once a week. If you allow your dreams to slowly simmer, the combination of divinely inspired ideas that will come along with the willingness to be patient will create a larger more powerful vision and opportunity than you expected. Remember your Angels and God have your back and all is unfolding in perfect flow even if it doesn’t feel like it, or look like it. I promise you, your dreams will still come true but with more passion and more opportunity!
 
Thank you Nanette, Hailey