Among the 12 Jungian archetypes, the Caregiver is recognized to be the most altruistic. Helping others in a snap, they won’t hesitate to give it their best in order to nourish those around them.
As such, they are often perceived to be the kindest among the archetypes. They practically embody this whole notion of being a neighbor towards others.
But while all seems to be perfect, the Caregiver is still, after all, human. Limited and imperfect, Caregivers have their own fair share of challenges and problems to deal with.
And if they’re not aware of it, they will slowly lose their essence in a way that’s undeserving, especially in this selfless archetype.
With that, we’ll be pointing out what these common problems are and 7 self-care tips that they can inculcate in order to better manage all the emotional baggage they’re carrying for others!
Common Caregiver Problems:
- Becoming problem-absorbers – Like a sponge, Caregivers are known to take it all in without regard for their own wellbeing. Since their ultimate goal and happiness is to be there for others, they sometimes disregard their own mental health when being there for those around them.
- Burnouts – is a natural consequence of the above-stated point, Caregivers, albeit resilient, are prone to burnouts and compassion fatigue. Draining every bit of resource and willpower in them to help others, they consume themselves in silence. Before they know it, they’ll eternally lose the will to devote themselves to a particular cause.
- Unchecked Dedication – since they are oriented towards those around them, they sometimes become overly devoted to those that they love. Without knowing, they are already impeding on the rights and values of the people they care for, often dictating what they think should be good for them.
- Mutual Dependency – since Caregivers derive their value from being a ‘neighbor’ to whoever they see fit, their self-worth and its value are usually hinged on their loved ones. And when these persons decide to distance themselves from the Caregiver, an irreplaceable part of their soul is perpetually lost.
Given these four core pains of the Caregiver archetype, here are 7 strong tips that they can utilize in order to deal with such:
1. Learn to love themselves – as one of the overlooked tips, learning how to love themselves is crucial. While they are excellent at loving others and making them grow, sometimes such happens at the expense of the Caregiver’s sense of self-worth. By doing an honest assessment of what they are doing for themselves, they’ll know which areas of life to work on.
2. Be careful not to be taken advantage of – Caregivers are often taken advantage of by others. Since they are the easiest to persuade, their guards are usually down to a sense that such becomes an apparent weakness for the wolves who are seeking their prey. By being more vigilant, Caregivers can avoid falling into traps and pitfalls.
3. Employ critical thinking – this doesn’t mean that Caregivers aren’t critical thinkers! Whether we like it or not, such an urge to come to other’s aid is usually moved by emotion, not reason. As such, they are prone to rash and uncalculated choices, just so they can be at the aid of those who are in need. By employing critical thinking, Caregivers can somehow regulate this urge, often leading them to better decisions in life.
4. Express how they truly feel
– Since the Caregiver is so used to absorbing the pains of others and turning it into fuel for their growth, they often forget about themselves in a way that they’re unconscious of. Unaware of the fact that they are already feeling bad about themselves, the Caregiver must carefully assess if they are truly expressing their emotions towards others.
5. Search for Inner Peace – while they are known to seek their value by being there for others, searching for inner peace is one way for them to create their own purpose in life. If the Caregiver fails to seek their higher self, their emotions will always be dependent on the push-and-pull scenario they’re in when they engage with others.
6. Seek their Calling – seeking their higher calling is often a great way for them not to be burnt-out. By asking themselves what they are truly for in this world, they get to ponder on things that they usually don’t. Whereas other Caregivers will just jump on whatever situation they’re needed to, those who think of their higher calling can yearn for a bigger purpose in life.
7. Aspire for Balance and Regulation – like all other archetypes in the Jungian individuation process, aspiring for balance and regulation is key. It ensures that they become the best version of themselves. By aspiring for a balanced approach, Caregivers can be of great service to humanity at large, without burning themselves or losing their own willpower to do so.
The Caregiver’s Path Towards Jungian Individuation
For our final word in this series, it is crucial to turn ourselves towards the whole process of Jungian Individuation.
As one of the 12 archetypes that represent our humanity, the Caregiver has its own strengths and weaknesses. These contribute positively or negatively, depending on how they handle such.
With that, looking at how this universal archetype function is key in taming it.
By seeing it as a part of a bigger picture, the Caregiver can find themselves and how they fit in the grander scheme of things.
In this way, they can implement these 7 self-care tips in an efficient and effective manner!
Author Biography
This article is presented to you by Aaron from Individualogist.com, a personal development resource that focuses on applying jungian psychology to transformational methods. Their research on the twelve jungian archetypes has helped thousands of members identify their personality archetypes.
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