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Barbara Scoville, LCSW

~ Pioneers of Peace™

Barbara Scoville, LCSW

Tag Archives: Facebook

Caregiver’s Storyboard: Gun Run for Grandma

30 Monday Sep 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Caregiver's Storyboard

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

adversity, Aging Parents, Caregiver, Caregiver's Storyboard, Caregiving, comic relief, Facebook, Gun run, Guns, Suicide threats, www youtube, youtube video

Hey Everyone,

Here it is…my first attempt at a YouTube video.

Hope you enjoyed our story 🙂 Check us out on Facebook at Caregiver’s Storyboard and remember: sometimes comic relief is what’s needed in times of adversity.

Until next time, may you find your cup half full 🙂

Barbara (The Blog Whisperer)

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Is “Simple” the New Black?

22 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Caregiver's Storyboard, Emotion School, Life Mastery Skills, Mindfulness, Resilience

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Audrey Hepburn, Candy Chang, Caregiver's Storyboard, Facebook, Fashion, Harmony, Identity, Live Better with Less, Minimalist, Project 333, Simplicity, Slow, Stress reduction

audrey-hepburn-ballet-leopard

Is “Simple” the New Black?

I have always been intrigued by the concept of  “Simple,” so when I came across the minimalist blog, Be More With Less I was delighted. Courtney Carver, former advertising executive, now Simplicity Guru is the mastermind behind Project 333 which challenges us to reduce our wardrobes to 33 items for 3 months.

There is just something about a good challenge that makes me want to say: I CAN DO IT! So over the past month I’ve been mulling this over in my mind. Could I really pare my wardrobe down to only 33 pieces?  After all, I probably have close to 33 pairs of shoes. Shameful I know, but I am not the only one, and I know there are those with a lot more; so I don’t feel too bad.

What would it mean?

Austerity… Self Control… Diet… Self Mastery… Boring… 33 really great pieces that I love… Head space to think about other things than the way I look… Simplicity… Improved priorities… Space… Lower carbon footprint… Suffering?

Well, I did it yesterday. In preparation I mind mapped what my wardrobe should include. Categories were: pants, shirts, sweaters, skirts/dresses, outerwear, accessories and footwear. I didn’t include pajamas, underwear, or workout clothes.

Image 1

Next I thought of a fall color scheme which included: grey, black, ivory/white, denim blue, camel and mustard and then started to fill in the blanks.

I can tell you, getting started wasn’t simple and this is not a money-saving adventure. If I’m going to wear only 33 things, then they will be things I love. This led me to buy a very expensive (for me) pair of black Frye Combat Boots. I LOVE THEM, and I might wear them every day; even with skirts and dresses despite the fact that I am a woman of a certain age (that means old if you didn’t know.)

My wardrobe

My wardrobe

Last night I was pretty excited about my accomplishment. Here is what I learned…

  • I have a lot of clothes! My bedroom looked like a department store after I separated what I was going to keep, and what I was going to pack away.
  • The boundary of 33 (which is a metaphor for 40 in my case,) puts a halt to impulse buying. I have no room in my life for anything frivolous or excessive.
  • I have a very small wardrobe so I can afford quality. This is inline with my value of quality over quantity.  It is a personal truth. I know it because I feel my heart-strings singing like a beautiful violin.
  • I feel less greedy. I have enough for my needs. I feel like I’m living with more respect for those who are less fortunate.
  • I can take good care of 33 pieces that I love. My life is filled with “to do’s,” and I am often overwhelmed with taking care of “things.” I love the feeling of being released from duty to inanimate objects. I am free to use my precious energy on more important things.

The thought has occurred to me that this doesn’t have to apply just to clothes. What about “stuff” in general? I’m not suggesting a radical reduction to everything I own, but I do want to question everything. What would happen if I applied the spirit of Project 333 to how I spend my time? If I only had 33 months, days, or minutes, what would I do? Watch Candy Chang’s Ted Talk

Well that’s all for this week. I’ve been working on a video for Caregiver’s Storyboard called, “Gun Run for Grandma.” I will be posting it soon, so be watching. If you haven’t seen Caregiver’s Storyboard, check it out on Facebook and please tell your friends. Caregiver’s Storyboard is a safe place for sharing stories and i hope you will do just that. I want to hear from you 🙂

Take care and until next time, may you find your cup half full 🙂

Barbara (The Blog Whisperer)

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Related articles
  • Caregiver’s Story Board: A New Facebook Page (barbarascovillelcsw.com)
  • Choose Less to Be More http://letsreachsuccess.com

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Caregiver’s Story Board: A New Facebook Page

15 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Caregiver's Storyboard, Pioneers of Peace

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

AARP, Aging, aging disability, Aging Parents, Caregiver, Caregiver Support, Caregiver's Storyboard, Facebook, hard stuff, national alliance for caregiving, Pioneer of Peace

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Hello All,

After publishing True Confessions of A Former Caregiver: And a Darn Good Cookie Recipe two weeks ago, I have continued to receive an overwhelming response that has been heart warming. It was a very personal story and though it was easy to write, it was hard to share.

Many came out of the woodwork to say how meaningful my words were to them, and talked about similar feelings, adding their own experiences equally as poignant.

As I listened to their stories, one thing became clear. It is cathartic to talk about the hard stuff. Too many people suffer and think they are alone in their experiences. Talking allows the demons to be released, and when they are released they have the potential of transforming into angels.

We all do our best in difficult circumstances but we all have limitations. The problems come when we have unrealistic expectations of what or how we think things “should be.”

Aging is as normal as being a baby, yet it is shrouded in taboo. Why is that? Perhaps it’s because on so many levels,we associate endings with loss in addition to not being mentally prepared for role reversals. Maybe instead of thinking in terms of role reversal, we need to think of role evolvement. Reversal conjures up judgment and fear because it doesn’t sound like we are progressing, but rather regressing.

Caregiving is not relegated to just the aging. Disability is no respecter of age.

According to The National Alliance of Caregivers

  • 65.7 million caregivers make up 29% of the U.S. adult population providing care to someone who is ill, disabled or aged.
    [The National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP (2009), Caregiving in the U.S. National Alliance for Caregiving. Washington, DC.] – Updated: November 2012

There are plenty of studies about the needs of the disabled and the dying, but what about the needs and psychology of the caregivers, and those left behind?

Rarely is the caregiver asked how they are doing, while the inquiries about those they care for go on and on. We are all in this together, yet caregivers often exist in the shadows.

To be fair, studies are emerging; but not fast enough.

Caregivers are a demographic much like parents, but different because of a lack of credibility. Don’t get me wrong; there is plenty of moral credibility, but to this point the role is not backed up with authority, or enough common practical knowledge. Decision making becomes so ambiguous. New parents, who complain children do not come with user manuals, had better buckle their seat belts when it comes time for caregiving, because they have no idea of what’s coming later in their lives.

It is time to normalize the role of caregiving and start preparing people for this stage of development. The best place to start is simply by talking about it; all of it, the good, the bad, and the ugly. As with all difficult things, emotional poison lies within the shadows.

The following are some Facebook Pages I have found that do a pretty good job of telling it like it is:

Caregiving Inspirations by Joy

The Caregiver Space

Caregiver Stress 

Caregiver 

Caregiving Manifesto

All of these pages make a valuable contribution. I wish I would’ve known about them when I was in the midst of my caregiving experience.

This week, I have launched my own contribution, by starting a Facebook Page called Caregiver’s Story Board, which will be a safe place for caregivers to share their stories.

9308937344_e059ba5eea

In Muir Woods National Park, there is a designated space along the side walk for free speech. When we last visited, we overheard an exchange between a little boy and his mother. The little boy said, “Mom, can I say the ‘F’ word here?” Yanking his arm and pulling him away, his mother emphatically said, “NO!!!”

Here are the ground rules for Caregiver’s Story Board:

1. This is a family friendly page. Do not use any vulgar language.

2. This is not a therapy page. While it is a safe place to share your story, it is not a place to ask for, or expect therapeutic help.

3. If writing is not your thing, you can post videos with your story.

4. All posts are subject to my approval. If I believe a post is contrary to the mission of the page, I will delete it.

5. Posts should be in the spirit of genuine disclosure, for the purpose of: bringing caregiving out of the shadows, telling your story, normalizing the caregiver role, and education for those who are interested in or preparing to fulfill the caregiver role.

6. By posting your story, you are giving permission for it to appear on Caregiver’s Storyboard, Barbara Scoville, LCSW Blog, and other social media sites.

Image 7

If this space is utilized, I believe it can make an important contribution to the understanding, acceptance, and normalization of caregiving.

I invite you to be a Pioneer of Peace and share your stories. Pass the word along that Caregiver’s Storyboard is a “safe place to land”during both the good times and the bad.

Just get on Facebook and search for Caregiver’s Storyboard. If you would PLEASE “Like” the page I would really appreciate it 🙂

That’s all for this week.

Until next time take care, and may you find your cup half full 🙂

Barbara (The Blog Whisperer)

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Related articles
  • Help for the caregiver (thehindu.com)
  • Caregiving; One Family’s Story (cltv.com)
  • 5 Things I’ve Learned as a Caregiver (aarp.org)

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Viewing the Polling Box Results

12 Friday Jul 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Resilience, Self Discovery the Michelangelo Way: A Game

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Facebook, fun fun fun, Michelangelo, results button, Seld Discovery the Michelangelo Way, Self discovery


To view how others are voting in “Self Discovery the Michelangelo Way,” all you have to do is click on the “View Results” button.

Right now go back to the post titled “Self Discovery the Michelangelo Way” and vote!

Share this with your friends on Facebook and have them play along. See if you can guess how they’ll vote. There is no risk of identification, just fun, fun, fun 🙂

What question do I have in store for you next week? You’ll just have to check back to see.  Until then…

Cheers 🙂

Barbara (The Blog Whisperer)

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