21/12/2025
Remember, as much as you might want to, you can't fix everyone else's problems.
Often we feel a heavy sense of duty and responsibility to find a solution to our family members' and friends' problems, to sort things out, to make them feel good again, to make them happy, to make them healthy - to wave that elusive magic wand that will make everything ok - especially when they're suffering.
You might believe that being a good mum, friend, partner, daughter is dependent upon your ability to relieve the suffering of the people you love or care about. You might feel like you should be able to find the answers, to make them feel better and content, to cheer them up. You might feel like you're failing because you can't find a way to fix things for them, to take away their pain.
Sometimes you might feel swallowed up by someone else's suffering, and when that happens your own health and wellbeing suffer as a result - which really doesn't help the person you love and want to help...
So, accept that you can't solve their problems. It's not your responsibility to do that. There's a difference between 'caring' and 'trying to fix'. You can keep reminding them you're there, listen to them, give them help and support without taking over, hug them - but don't tell them what to do, and remember that sometimes you need to step back for the sake of your own wellbeing.
Your own wellbeing is the thing that you can have most control over, so do keep looking after yourself while you're caring for or are concerned about someone else... 💙
