The Sandwich Generation
On Turning 50 Series:
Surviving parenting and caring for aging parents while pursuing your career goals
This is a continuation of the ‘On turning 50’ Series with Part Two: The Sandwich Generation. The photo above is me, my brother, dad and grandma in Japan when I was probably 5 or 6! If you haven’t read ‘part one’ you can read it here.
I was talking to a good friend of mine recently.
She has been feeling stressed and anxious, and having trouble sleeping. 💤
She said,
“My parents are getting old and I am always worried about them. We were looking for a caretaker for my dad who needs assistance because he can’t quite take care of himself very well. Then, my mom fell and she broke her hip! So she is in the hospital and I want to go visit her. But, our kids are still young so I can’t just leave them. My husband travels all the time so it’s stressing me out to even figure out when I can travel!”
This sounds so familiar to me - I hear similar stories from other clients and friends regularly. 👩👩👧👦
Then, despite my parents being relatively healthy, my dad called last week to inform me that my mom had fallen and broken her femur! She will be hospitalized for 6 weeks and because of Japan’s continuing COVID precautions, he can’t even visit her. 😢
This was the kind of news I’d been dreading to receive, and not a great one to receive on my birthday!
Research shows that about 10% of the elderly who fall and break hips die within a year. This is not because hip fractures kill them, but because they become weaker and more dependent. I called my mom and told her to get into rehab as soon as possible so she can regain her strength and leave the hospital ASAP. 🏋🏻♀️
As many of us move into midlife, we experience the stress of being in the ‘Sandwich Generation’: taking care of aging parents as well as our children.
Often, this is also when our careers are at their peak, so we have a lot more responsibilities and less time. All that caring for others can lead to neglecting our own health, resulting in insomnia, anxiety, hormone imbalances, inflammation, etc.
Most of my clients are experiencing this ‘Sandwich Generation’ stress and fatigue, and you might be too.
So we need to be intentional about prioritizing self-care. 💝
Because if you are burnt out, you won’t be able to best serve others (your parents, your kids, and your staff/colleagues)!
This topic is so prevalent and important, so wanted to share a couple ways you can learn more about supporting yourself, and take some time for serious self-care…
The Aging Parent Predicament: How to go from overwhelm with your parent to really enjoying them
I’m hosting this workshop with my dear friend Aviva Black in March. You will learn how to translate the overwhelm of caring for aging parents into actionable plans. I hope you will join us! 📕
2. The Mind-Body Retreat- A week-long immersive experience that will nourish your mind, body, and heart, in Costa Rica
Also, I am hosting a retreat in Costa Rica at the end of the year. Those who have been overworked caring for others are especially welcome to participate. 🌴
We all need a break, and family vacations are not a vacation with all their responsibilities. Many of us, especially moms, end up planning, booking, researching, and taking care of logistics while on a family vacation. We tend to need a vacation from a vacation!⛱
So, if that is you, please consider giving yourself a gift of a wellness retreat. You will nurture your body and heart in a breathtaking location with an inspiring group of people. You will come home recharged, understanding how to be kind to others and yourself!🤩
The February special of $300 will end in a few days, and we only have a few rooms left!
3. Upcoming pop-up yoga classes
Lastly, I am teaching yoga on March 4 & 11 at Green Yogi MLK. Hope to see some of you there!
Much love,
Ai ❤️
Ginger Carrot Soup
Ingredients
2 TB. coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2-in. piece of ginger, chopped
1 TB. ground cumin
3 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
4 C vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
1 can of coconut milk
Lime and cilantro, for garnish
Directions
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened.
Add the garlic, ginger, and cumin, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots and stir to coat. Continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes.
Add the broth, cover and reduce heat to low and simmer until the carrots are soft.
Use an immersion blender or blender to puree until smooth.
Stir in the coconut milk and add salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into individual bowls, squeeze lime juice, and garnish with cilantro.
