Coach Marika

In this episode, you’re in for a treat. I sit down with my good friend and fellow coach, Ben Pugh, for a heartfelt, hilarious, and honest conversation about everything from emotional resilience to the wisdom of Ted Lasso. Ben and I met in coach training back in 2018, and we’ve been coaching each other ever since. He’s an incredible coach for parents of teens, and over the years, we’ve noticed just how much parenting and caregiving have in common....

64. Coach Talk: Resilience, Responsibility, and Real Life - Coach Marika Coaches Marika and Ben Pugh dive into caregiving, parenting, resilience, and letting go of what you can't control. Insightful and real.

In this episode, I’m joined by celebrity DJ and radio host Steve Harper for a powerful conversation about worry—and the huge role it plays in caregiving. Even if you already know that worry isn’t helpful (I covered this way back in Episode 2!), chances are you still find yourself stuck in it. Whether it’s worrying about your partner, your kids, the world, or even how others are worrying about…...

63. The Weight of Worry in Caregiving - Coach Marika Caregiving comes with constant worry. Learn why it’s draining, not helpful—and how to shift out of it with a simple 3-step process.

As caregivers, we often operate from a place of urgency, love, and sheer exhaustion—and without realizing it, we start seeing the world through a very narrow lens. We make assumptions about what our partner needs, what we’re capable of, and what the future holds. These assumptions feel true—but what if they’re not? In this episode, I share a personal story that made me pause and ask a powerful question: …...

62. What if You're Wrong? - Coach Marika Caregivers: Stuck in assumptions? This episode shows how questioning your thoughts can bring clarity, peace, and connection.

In this episode, I’m diving into something that shows up often in caregiving—but rarely gets talked about: our inner critic. When you're supporting someone you love, especially in the intensity of caregiving, it’s easy to feel like you're not doing enough, not doing it right, or somehow falling short. That voice? That’s your inner critic. And she’s loud. Today I share how this voice is actually part of a larger cast of inner archetypes—universal roles that live in all of us....

61. The Inner Critic: When Self-Doubt Shows Up in Caregiving - Coach Marika Discover how to recognize and quiet your inner critic—especially during caregiving—so you can lead with clarity, compassion, and courage.

When you're in the thick of caregiving, it can feel like your life is on pause—like you're just holding on, waiting for the day when you can finally get back to living. But what if this experience is offering you something valuable right now? What if caregiving isn’t just something to endure but something that’s shaping you in ways you don’t yet see?...

60. The Hidden Growth in Caregiving - Coach Marika Caregiving is shaping you—right now. Discover the hidden lessons, mindset shifts, and skills to grow through this experience.

In this episode, I share practical strategies for caregivers to break free from mental spirals, which can often occur when life’s challenges pile up. Building on last week’s episode about processing emotions, I explore how caregivers’ thoughts can fuel negative feelings, especially when you're already feeling overwhelmed. I dive into how the combination of tough emotions and negative mental chatter can make it feel like you're stuck in a cycle, but I also offer a simple technique to regain clarity....

59. How to Stop Negative Thought Loops - Coach Marika Learn how to break free from caregiving-related mental spirals, gain clarity, and shift your mindset with simple techniques to manage overwhelm.

In this episode, I share a deeply personal experience of feeling overwhelmed by built-up emotions—how they compounded over time and what finally helped me work through them. When we suppress emotions, they don’t go away; they build up and resurface, often stronger than before. I talk about why we instinctively resist emotions, how caregiving intensifies this struggle, and why numbing or distracting ourselves doesn’t work long-term....

58. How to Process Built Up Emotions - Coach Marika Learn how to process built-up emotions, why we resist them, and how EFT tapping can help you release emotional weight and feel lighter.

Instead of just letting today "happen" to you, decide in advance WHO you want to be!

Do you wan to be...
strong
an advocate
loving
supportive
a good friend
focused
encouraged...

Instead of letting the events of the day dictate your mood, you can decide with intention how you want to show up today!

Go ahead and share! Tell us who you want to be today.

There are many times you might feel helpless when caregiving for your partner.
SHIFT YOUR FOCUS
We only feel helpless when we are focused on what we can't control.
And yet, there is so much we DO have control over.
When you focus on your Circle of Power, and start taking action from there, it will change how you feel. 🔥
You do have control over A LOT. 💪
Practice asking yourself: "Is this something I can control?'
If the answer is no, then let it go and shift your focus to what you do control.

Sometimes it can be hard and you might feel as a caregiver you've had to curb your social life.
I get it. I've been there.

Here is what I know now:
A great source of suffering comes from wanting things to be different than they are.
We can end our suffering by making peace with exactly how our life is right now.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Let’s take a moment to recognize you and everything you do as a caregiver or care partner. ❤️

Drop a comment and share some of the ways you support your partner—big or small. This isn’t about waiting for someone else to notice. It’s about you giving yourself the appreciation you deserve.

You show up every day in ways that matter. So take a deep breath, acknowledge your efforts, and give yourself the credit you’ve earned. 💙