Due to some inexplicable social media algorithmic calculations, I saw a short clip of what Kim Kardashian wanted for 2025. While my eyes adjusted to the level of (expertly injected) botox and filler, I heard her say: ‘Just more life, life is good.’
That’s nice. To have a life that is your own and aspirations as to how to mould it. That is not a possibility for most unpaid carers, we exist but don’t have lives of our own. So what can I aim for in 2025 if ‘more life’ isn’t feasible?
The usual lifestyle resolutions aren’t too relevant for me as I’m very boring. I don’t drink or smoke, and I’m already on the skinny side thanks to my no-time-to-properly-eat carer’s diet (not healthy but it works).
Should I look to take the next step in my career? I already work too much and, as I currently have to work remotely due to my other more-than-full-time unpaid job, I don’t think I’m very attractive to many employers. I also don’t think more work emails are the key to happiness, don’t believe everything you read on LinkedIn.
I think the answer for me is to do more meaningful work. Work that feels important, interesting, and helpful. Work to help raise awareness of unpaid carers, the issues we face, and lobby to get better social care for all of us. I already do what I can on my tiny scale with this blog, and a podcast I co-host with Katy Styles, the We Care Campaign‘s formidable founder.
What more can I do? Any ideas, anyone? How can I use my PR powers for good?
I want to generally ‘make more noise’ to quote Emmeline Pankhurst. So, I appeal to you We Care Campaign, Carers UK, Carers Trust and anyone else interested in all things caring to put me to work! Get in touch in the comments or on the socials 🙂
Happy New Year, all!
Number Eighteen, in the corner 
4 responses to “New year, more life?”
happy new year same as last 365 days there is just a 5 on the year
tired exhausted answering stupid questions from people who should know better.
just get up in morning remember to get dressed, as rest of house seem
to object to missing this step.
and repeat yesterday, climb stairs take clothes of you remembered to put on and repeat
love your blogs wish I was clever enough to work out how to do it
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More power to you for this intention.
Having been pushing on similar tracks over the last couple of years for better recognition of the 500,00+ unpaid carers who are also self-employed (and not recognised in law, so ignored and overlooked by all the carer support bodies out there), I’d encourage you to create and take your small wins while you can.
Despite amassing all the statistical data, and survey polls, etc, I’ve still not been able to get Carers UK or Carers Trust to acknowledge my efforts to reach out to them on this subject – but have found allies in other places, so don’t be afraid to go at this in ways that might not seem to make sense to begin with:
It’s not a linear or consistent path – but you can find encouragement in moments like the above when your continued efforts ‘pay off’. For me, that’s not because it shows people are starting to listen and understand, but because it means that more of us are encouraged by the show of solidarity in their helping us better spot each other in the wild.
Like with your blog here, I didn’t wait for permission to start to get out there and make noise about this, I took and created what opportunities I could – and along the way, other bodies have started to tag along.
Hope that there may be something above which offers some encouragement and practical use, in response to your call.
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Thank you for this. I’ll keep going! You do so much too and with much more visibility 🙂
Feel free to put me to work too!
L
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grandson who is 15 says I need to create a paid website to have a blog look out 2025 as here comes another carer
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