> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://rekindledesigns.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Reframing Your Identity as a Caregiver - URL: https://rekindledesigns.ghost.io/reframing-your-identity-as-a-caregiver/ - Published: 2026-09-30T16:23:11.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T18:04:41.000Z - Author: Miyako Fuqua It was during high school when I fell in love with screenwriting — breathing life into rich worlds and characters. It started as a casual form of artistic expression with my own heritage deeply influencing the focus of my projects: exploring strong female characters of color on a journey of self-discovery who also faced an identity crisis, pushing themselves to the brink to achieve their aspirations. I graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in East Asian Languages and Cultures with a concentration in Japanese. I was on track to move to Japan to teach English. Having aced the job interview, I was offered a teaching contract. But moving to Japan meant being further and further away from my life-long dreams of becoming a screenwriter. Exploring complex themes ignited a creative fire in me. So much it inspired a cross-country move to LA to pursue my craft further. So instead of jetsetting across the world, I packed up my little 2004 Hyundai and drove cross-country to LA with a couple of friends. Not only did I begin a 14-year writing journey, but I also started a career as a caregiver to support my writing endeavors. As my dreams became more out of reach with the industry changing, the Eaton and Malibu fires, and the strikes, I grieved the loss of my identity I had worked so hard to craft. I felt like I had given up. Like I was a quitter. My self-esteem was tethered so tightly to being a writer that I didn't know what to do if I didn't achieve this goal. I couldn't help but think, "*Who am I without writing?"* Although I felt like I had lost my purpose, I still have a stable job at an assisted living facility. I'm well-liked and take great pride and joy in helping maintain the elderly's dignity and quality of life. And I'm *good* at it, being equal parts compassionate and efficient with the ability to anticipate residents' and coworkers' needs. A family member had asked for help with their kin's medication, asking me, "Are you a med-tech?" I replied, "No, I'm just a caregiver." And she quickly corrected me, "No, you're not *just* a caregiver." Hearing this reminded me two things can be true at the same time. ***I'm more than my job, and caregiving is so much more than people give it credit for.*** It may not be rocket science, but empathy can be a superpower not everyone possesses. I've noticed it's not that people can't do what we do, it's that people don't *want* to do what we do. As if this kind of work is beneath them. That it doesn't take skill. That you're just a warm body filling in. There's the misconception that you're not capable of doing anything else. That you're stuck. That you're not there because you want to be. That somehow you failed at life. Because you can't do anything else, you didn't have a choice. But caregiving is so much more than "wiping butts." ***It's helping people stay connected to the world around them and making sure they know they still matter.*** Ironically, as I age, I find myself to be one of my own characters on a new path of self-discovery and pursuit of happiness, facing an existential crisis and redefining my goals. To this day, I put so much pressure on myself to fit society's narrow definition of success. No, the pay ceiling doesn't move much or at all, but the lessons I've learned are invaluable. Instead, I've learned to stop justifying my choices, to be kinder to myself, and to give myself permission to stop climbing the ladder. To just exist as a human being and not pressure myself to be *all* the things. In my constant state of evolution, my today looks very different than what I was 20 years ago. It may not be a 90-page horror script, but for the first time, I'm lending my voice to an actual lived experience. I will always love communicatingideas, brainstorming concepts, and organizing and building systems, which ultimately led to the creation of re{kind}le. If my writing can help the working and devoted daughters checking in on their father in an assisted living facility or a doting son caring for his mother at home, I'm on the right path. ***As always, thank you for listening, and we're all in this together.*** Don't forget to claim your free Caregiver + Kin Badges! Sign up below, and you’ll receive an e-mail with the template link. ## Sign up to receive your free Caregiver + Kin Badges! Don't carry it all by yourself. Get your most practical care tools and honest reflections delivered straight to you only when it matters. No clutter. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.