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Caregiving Without Losing Yourself – A Conversation with Jenny Lytle
If you’re a woman in midlife, chances are you’ve been in caregiver mode for a while, maybe even most of your life. Whether it’s your kids, your siblings, your aging parents, your job, your partner, or all of the above, you’ve probably gotten really good at taking care of others.
But here’s the thing: When was the last time you showed up for yourself?
In this week’s episode of the Love Your Life Show, I had the privilege of speaking with Jenny Lytle, a nurse with over 30 years of experience in hospice and end-of-life care. Jenny is now a coach for caregivers who are ready to reclaim their energy and joy. Her insights were gentle, powerful, and exactly what I know so many of you need to hear right now.
Self care without the Guilt
Jenny has spent decades walking alongside people in their final days and so has seen the truth about what really matters. Her message isn’t about adding more to your to-do list. It’s about permission. Permission to care deeply for others without disappearing in the process.
So many of us believe the lie that being a good mom, daughter, partner, or friend means putting everyone else first. That it’s noble to come in last. That resting or setting a boundary is selfish. Yet let’s be real: those beliefs don’t just make us tired. They make us resentful, disconnected, and burnt out.
In this episode of the Love Your Life Show, Jenny Lytle and Susie Pettit gently unpack those myths and offers something so much better: a way to care without carrying it all.
Listen in to Learn:
- How to tell when you’ve slipped into self-neglect (even if it looks like “being responsible”)
- Tiny ways to restore your energy, even if you’ve only got 10 minutes
- Why “asking for help” isn’t weak and what it really looks like in everyday life
- What people at the end of their lives actually regret and how we can live with more peace and purpose now
- How to let go of guilt when you take a break, rest, or even just enjoy something while someone else is struggling
Moving forward and Caregiving without the Burnout
If you’re in the thick of it right now – caregiving, juggling roles, running on empty – I hope you’ll listen to this conversation. It’s tender. It’s real. And it’s a reminder that you are allowed to matter, too.
You can be loving without being a martyr. Strength doesn’t mean you can’t need support. Caring for others never requires disappearing from your own life.
Take a deep breath. Press play. You deserve this. Listen to episode 371 of the Love Your Life Show here.
Who’s Jenny Lytle?
Jenny Lytle, a nurse for over 30 years specializing in hospice and end-of-life care, experienced a profound shift when her mom suddenly passed away. In her grief, Jenny realized her mom, like so many nurses, had prioritized everyone else at the expense of her own well-being.
Determined to break that cycle, Jenny embarked on a journey of self-discovery, embracing coaching and personalized self-care. She found that caring for others begins with caring for yourself.
Now the author of Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Stress Relief, Jenny helps nurses and other caregivers through her proprietary Becoming Method®, providing practical, personalized strategies to manage stress, prioritize self-care, and continue caring for others with greater impact.
Find out more about Jenny Lytle here:
Get her book on Amazon here
Get a free copy of her book as a pdf here
Visit her website here
Let Jenny know you enjoyed the interview here: Instagram, LinkedIn
