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📰 Subject line: 💡 When the Sandwich Feels Permanent — Finding Balance When Life Keeps Piling Up

Stuck in the Middle — Issue 236 — December 4, 2025

👋 Welcome
If you’re new here — welcome. This newsletter is for people like you: juggling work, caring for parents, raising kids, and trying to keep relationships and sanity intact. If you’d like to get every issue in your inbox, just Reply SUBSCRIBE.

🤝 SKOOL COMMUNITY
If you haven’t already — join our community to connect with others who get the sandwich-generation stress.
https://www.skool.com/stuck-in-the-middle-community-1730/about?ref=4956bcfb588b4962b89c23002360ff83

🧠 Big Thought
When you’re doing everything — paying bills, tending to kids, supporting aging parents, working all day — it’s easy to forget: you are part of the equation too. The moment you treat yourself as secondary is the moment stress becomes chronic. The real breakthrough isn’t doing more, but doing enough (and no more) — with boundaries, support, and self-care.

🧰 Money Moves — Your Stress-Relief Checklist

1. Map your expenses & caregiving costs. Write down recurring costs — medical, groceries, childcare, senior-care supplies — then highlight what’s essential vs. what’s optional. (This helps you see where you can cut back.)

2. Learn about caregiver financial realities. Read up on the financial aspects of caregiving to better understand what’s normal and where to plan. (Caregiver)

3. Seek community resources & support services. Often there are local or nonprofit services (respite care, meal delivery, elder-care help) that relieve some pressure — and could cost less than you think. (HelpGuide.org)

4. Create a realistic budget with your partner or family. Money is emotional — and caregiving amplifies that. Having honest conversations about who handles what avoids resentment later. (Caregiver)

5. Plan for self-care costs too (even small ones). Whether it’s a quiet night alone, a walk, or a simple treat — factor in small self-care expenses. These “tiny investments” go a long way in avoiding burnout.

🛠️ Tool of the Week
Check out the free guide HelpGuide’s “Family Caregiving: Help and Support for Caregivers” — it walks through emotional care, boundaries, community support and practical caregiving tips. (HelpGuide.org)

📰 Reads

• Sandwich Generation: Balance Care For Aging Parents & Kids — a deep dive into what it means to be part of the “sandwich generation,” the unique stressors, and practical strategies. (Trualta)

• Balancing Caregiving, Career and Family: Tips for Millennial Caregivers and the Sandwich Generation — advice on scheduling, work flexibility, self-care, and realistic expectations. (Banner Health)

• Caregiver stress: Tips for taking care of yourself — from the Mayo Clinic: why self-care matters, how to avoid burnout, and how to find outside support. (Mayo Clinic)

💬 Connect With People Who Get It
Caregiving can feel isolating — and so can relationship stress.
Join our private Facebook group to talk to others who truly understand.
👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/stuckinthemiddlenews

💸 TOOLS YOU CAN USE
If you’ve been feeling spread too thin — our “What Can I Let Go Of?” checklist (only $9.99) can help you decide what’s essential and what can wait. Grab it here:
https://your-samcart-store . com/what-can-i-let-go-of-checklist

💬 Reply & Engage Prompt
What’s one small thing you’ve tried recently — self-care, scheduling, budgeting — that helped you feel a little lighter? I’d love to hear what worked (or didn’t) for you.

↗️ Share the Relief
Know someone else stuck in the sandwich generation? Forward this issue and help them breathe a little easier.

P.S. In the next issue — I’ll share 5 “time-budgeting hacks” (not just money) for sandwich-generation life that actually save you mental bandwidth each week.

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