Caregiving, Caretaking & Living in Balance

Sometimes, it feels like more is going out than coming in— time, energy, attention, love. The flow isn’t always reciprocal. The bank of giving and receiving doesn’t always balance neatly. And that’s life, right? Sometimes, the garden is blooming, wild, and abundant. Other times, it’s still, the soil quiet, roots working things out underground.

Relationships can get off-kilter too. Needs shift. Roles shift. Power dynamics wobble. And without realizing it, we find ourselves tilted—off center, off track, off script.

So how do you know when you’re in balance? When is the giving right-sized, and when does it start to cost you? What signs do you recognize—emotional fatigue, resentment, numbness? Or maybe you just don’t feel like yourself anymore.

Being in tune with yourself is an art. Not a quick fix. Not something you download and “optimize.” It’s a life practice. A deep listening. A lifelong conversation.

If you’ve ever been a parent, a partner, a pet owner, a therapist, a healer, a helper—then you know what it means to stretch, sometimes too far. You know how easily self-care gets pushed to the margins. But guess what? You matter too. You’re not just the background support to someone else’s story.