I’ve never done a monthly round-up… perhaps I should start!
As for celebrating the wins… it depends on the day. If I’m in a particularly bad flare or sour mood I often have to honour that and accept that I might not be able to find the joy/gratitude.
Most of the time though - even when I’m suffering - I can find joy in the really little things. Today it was cozy socks and my teddy bear keeping me company in bed (really bad flare all night long). Anything to make you a bit cozier is worth celebrating!
I love that you honour and accept how you feel first. Reintroducing joy to my days has been a real challenge for me. Though I did find a gratitude practice acting as a door opener to it. I wonder if you found similar?
Sorry to hear it’s been a really bad flare for you. Those moments of comfort mean everything. I love my hot water bottle and have felt thankful for my mattress so many times🙏✨🩵🪽
Oh yes! How could I forget my mattress! It’s definitely something I’m grateful for. And all my extra pillows that help keep my joints from dislocating. And my wrist braces!!! I’m lost without them.
A gratitude practice has absolutely been helpful in opening the door for me - and it’s one of the reasons I keep it up even when I’m struggling.
That would make a great post - what practices support us during our most difficult times. What do we lean into, even when we are suffering most greatly.
For me it’s been my breathwork and meditation. 2 practices or anything I could do from my bed even when in the most severe pain.
That said, these things can still be as effective as a band aid so I’m thinking it still comes back to the ‘it’s not what we do, it’s how we approach it’ (as in, meeting ourselves where we’re at first….doing what we can when we can etc).
Definitely - how we approach it is often the lion’s share of the battle! When I have to have cardiac MRIs I really struggle because it’s almost 90 min in the machine without sedation. I’m claustrophobic, I hate loud noises… a recipe for disaster.
Learning meditation and breath work was HUGE for me. It’s not always easy - but as long as I try and approach it from a “this moment is just temporary” standpoint … I get through those tests much easier!
I totally have to remind myself where I am at so I don't start beating myself up. I admire people who can stick to daily, weekly, monthly practices. I'm not one of them. 😂 I have tried many times and I can see the benefits but it feels too restrictive and so much of my life has to be lived around routines and supporting others and restrictions on diet and making sure I have all my nutritional supplements and not staying up late and blah blah... So these days I go with the flow. But I do find my best time for reflection is on my long walks in the countryside on my own. 😊
Oh yes, anything that feels restrictive has to go 😆 we can admire others but we can learn to honour ourselves first. (Easier said than done of course).
Going with the flow is where it’s at for me also. (Resisting the flow of life is in one part root cause of migraine disease at an emotional level so the health benefits are massive). I’ve noticed I rarely work with a to do list (the never ending one I had had to go with my old life) and feeling into flow appears to have replaced the need for it. Although it’s taken a lot to unlearn and relearn.
I love the sound of these long country walks, alone! A step away from the demands of daily life💚
I LOVE TO DO LISTS! 🤣 They actually help my flow. I write one about once a week on a scrap of paper. When they didn't work for me was when I tried to do them every day or block them into my diary which felt like a should! Which is a sure way for the rebel in me to rise or the 'I'll bury my head in the sand Karen' which takes up a lot of energy. 👿
So now I write one list and usually get most of it done throughout the week. It's very satisfying to me but I don't hold them tightly. If there are things left undone I don't think about it. The important things always get done. Some weeks that might be one or two things. Others six or seven, eight, nine ten... It all depends on what else is going on and how I am feeling. 🙉
This sounds like balance to me⚖️😊 in alignment with how you want to feel; satisfied, in flow, non-pressured.
I’m experiencing a week where I’m getting shit done, enjoying lots of activity and plans. But I know a week is coming where I’ll benefit from slowing down, doing less and moving towards rest before I ramp up again. A great example of flow and balance combined (I think😆).
Yes exactly! That's how I go. Full of energy and productive one week. 🤩Flat and lethargic another. 🥱
I am learning to rest in those times rather than feeling under pressure to perform at the same rate every week which is unrealistic and unsustainable. I think it's unsustainable for most people to be honest. Especially women with their varying cycles through the month. 😘 Something else we need to learn (relearn) to trust and accept.
Sustainability has become one of my 3 main values! As a collective, sustainability hasn’t been front and centre but I think to think it’s creeping its way in🙏
Aligning with the seasons of my cycle, the lunar cycle and the literal seasons outdoors has been one heck of a game changer.
I’ve realised that when I’m not smiley during winter week that I’m not meant to be full of the joys of spring. I used to think people would find me miserable but now I’ve finally become comfortable at embracing it. How I’m feeling is how I’m meant to be feeling and I honour that over what others may say or think 🤎
This is a good reminder to celebrate the wins. I've come to the conclusion that it's not helpful for me to compare my wins to other people's wins, especially what 'society' says is worth celebrating. For example this week I finally got a colonoscopy appointment after a long time of waiting, of course I'm nervous about the procedure but I'm also so happy to finally have it. It means I don't live in limbo anymore (for now). It means I can start my meds (soon). For me that's something to celebrate but some people won't understand that. I have to be ok with celebrating some things by myself. OR knowing who to trust with my celebrations. I'm starting to understand who in my life will be there celebrating along with me and who will dismiss it or not get it. Some people will only understand the 'yey you got a promotion' kind of win, whilst others get the 'yey you got out of bed today, I'm so proud of you' kind of win. But the important thing is to allow myself to be happy for those wins and not dismiss them, however small, because they give me a much needed boost 😊 thanks for another great article x
Definitely focussing on the small wins at the moment, getting more than 4hrs sleep, sitting in the sunshine in the garden, being vertical, hanging some paintings. I'm not great at tracking things because I'm such a mishmash of different things and it's hard to sort out what's what, so I have to go with over all trends. Hopefully going very gently upwards! I was having a migraine every day 6 months ago so big improvement from that!! Other symptoms still all over the place, and fatigue and brain fog not good, though brain fog has improved a bit. I often have a new symptom replace an old one which is sometimes better sometimes just different! I enjoy reading about your journey x
Those wins are where it’s at. And def the overall trends. Throughout the year, I at least go through some kind of blip or relapse but it’s always the overall year on year improvement I’m looking for. It’ll be different for everyone making self awareness and meeting ourselves where we’re at key✨
So fascinating that you can track the emotion and locate anger in those specific body parts. I am very slowly learning to 'lean into' my pain when it comes when it is not at its worse. I love the idea of sensing into the emotion. I would love to listen to your chronic pain meditation as well xx
After reading eckhart tolles The Power of Now and Louise hays The Power is Within You (both talk about approaching pain in this way), I’ve been using this powerful (& free) meditation to help me with it.
I only ever lived with pain up to the highest end of the scale until 2 years ago so I had to start there. Couldn’t do it every time but got into a practice of sorts with it.
It’s been a game changer and one of the bigger reasons, the pain has reduced to the extent it has:
I’ve never done a monthly round-up… perhaps I should start!
As for celebrating the wins… it depends on the day. If I’m in a particularly bad flare or sour mood I often have to honour that and accept that I might not be able to find the joy/gratitude.
Most of the time though - even when I’m suffering - I can find joy in the really little things. Today it was cozy socks and my teddy bear keeping me company in bed (really bad flare all night long). Anything to make you a bit cozier is worth celebrating!
I love that you honour and accept how you feel first. Reintroducing joy to my days has been a real challenge for me. Though I did find a gratitude practice acting as a door opener to it. I wonder if you found similar?
Sorry to hear it’s been a really bad flare for you. Those moments of comfort mean everything. I love my hot water bottle and have felt thankful for my mattress so many times🙏✨🩵🪽
Oh yes! How could I forget my mattress! It’s definitely something I’m grateful for. And all my extra pillows that help keep my joints from dislocating. And my wrist braces!!! I’m lost without them.
A gratitude practice has absolutely been helpful in opening the door for me - and it’s one of the reasons I keep it up even when I’m struggling.
That would make a great post - what practices support us during our most difficult times. What do we lean into, even when we are suffering most greatly.
For me it’s been my breathwork and meditation. 2 practices or anything I could do from my bed even when in the most severe pain.
That said, these things can still be as effective as a band aid so I’m thinking it still comes back to the ‘it’s not what we do, it’s how we approach it’ (as in, meeting ourselves where we’re at first….doing what we can when we can etc).
Definitely - how we approach it is often the lion’s share of the battle! When I have to have cardiac MRIs I really struggle because it’s almost 90 min in the machine without sedation. I’m claustrophobic, I hate loud noises… a recipe for disaster.
Learning meditation and breath work was HUGE for me. It’s not always easy - but as long as I try and approach it from a “this moment is just temporary” standpoint … I get through those tests much easier!
You incredible warrior woman 💜🤎
I totally have to remind myself where I am at so I don't start beating myself up. I admire people who can stick to daily, weekly, monthly practices. I'm not one of them. 😂 I have tried many times and I can see the benefits but it feels too restrictive and so much of my life has to be lived around routines and supporting others and restrictions on diet and making sure I have all my nutritional supplements and not staying up late and blah blah... So these days I go with the flow. But I do find my best time for reflection is on my long walks in the countryside on my own. 😊
Oh yes, anything that feels restrictive has to go 😆 we can admire others but we can learn to honour ourselves first. (Easier said than done of course).
Going with the flow is where it’s at for me also. (Resisting the flow of life is in one part root cause of migraine disease at an emotional level so the health benefits are massive). I’ve noticed I rarely work with a to do list (the never ending one I had had to go with my old life) and feeling into flow appears to have replaced the need for it. Although it’s taken a lot to unlearn and relearn.
I love the sound of these long country walks, alone! A step away from the demands of daily life💚
I LOVE TO DO LISTS! 🤣 They actually help my flow. I write one about once a week on a scrap of paper. When they didn't work for me was when I tried to do them every day or block them into my diary which felt like a should! Which is a sure way for the rebel in me to rise or the 'I'll bury my head in the sand Karen' which takes up a lot of energy. 👿
So now I write one list and usually get most of it done throughout the week. It's very satisfying to me but I don't hold them tightly. If there are things left undone I don't think about it. The important things always get done. Some weeks that might be one or two things. Others six or seven, eight, nine ten... It all depends on what else is going on and how I am feeling. 🙉
This sounds like balance to me⚖️😊 in alignment with how you want to feel; satisfied, in flow, non-pressured.
I’m experiencing a week where I’m getting shit done, enjoying lots of activity and plans. But I know a week is coming where I’ll benefit from slowing down, doing less and moving towards rest before I ramp up again. A great example of flow and balance combined (I think😆).
Yes exactly! That's how I go. Full of energy and productive one week. 🤩Flat and lethargic another. 🥱
I am learning to rest in those times rather than feeling under pressure to perform at the same rate every week which is unrealistic and unsustainable. I think it's unsustainable for most people to be honest. Especially women with their varying cycles through the month. 😘 Something else we need to learn (relearn) to trust and accept.
Sustainability has become one of my 3 main values! As a collective, sustainability hasn’t been front and centre but I think to think it’s creeping its way in🙏
Aligning with the seasons of my cycle, the lunar cycle and the literal seasons outdoors has been one heck of a game changer.
I’ve realised that when I’m not smiley during winter week that I’m not meant to be full of the joys of spring. I used to think people would find me miserable but now I’ve finally become comfortable at embracing it. How I’m feeling is how I’m meant to be feeling and I honour that over what others may say or think 🤎
This is a good reminder to celebrate the wins. I've come to the conclusion that it's not helpful for me to compare my wins to other people's wins, especially what 'society' says is worth celebrating. For example this week I finally got a colonoscopy appointment after a long time of waiting, of course I'm nervous about the procedure but I'm also so happy to finally have it. It means I don't live in limbo anymore (for now). It means I can start my meds (soon). For me that's something to celebrate but some people won't understand that. I have to be ok with celebrating some things by myself. OR knowing who to trust with my celebrations. I'm starting to understand who in my life will be there celebrating along with me and who will dismiss it or not get it. Some people will only understand the 'yey you got a promotion' kind of win, whilst others get the 'yey you got out of bed today, I'm so proud of you' kind of win. But the important thing is to allow myself to be happy for those wins and not dismiss them, however small, because they give me a much needed boost 😊 thanks for another great article x
This: “the important thing is to allow myself to be happy for those wins” 💥💥
Definitely focussing on the small wins at the moment, getting more than 4hrs sleep, sitting in the sunshine in the garden, being vertical, hanging some paintings. I'm not great at tracking things because I'm such a mishmash of different things and it's hard to sort out what's what, so I have to go with over all trends. Hopefully going very gently upwards! I was having a migraine every day 6 months ago so big improvement from that!! Other symptoms still all over the place, and fatigue and brain fog not good, though brain fog has improved a bit. I often have a new symptom replace an old one which is sometimes better sometimes just different! I enjoy reading about your journey x
Those wins are where it’s at. And def the overall trends. Throughout the year, I at least go through some kind of blip or relapse but it’s always the overall year on year improvement I’m looking for. It’ll be different for everyone making self awareness and meeting ourselves where we’re at key✨
So fascinating that you can track the emotion and locate anger in those specific body parts. I am very slowly learning to 'lean into' my pain when it comes when it is not at its worse. I love the idea of sensing into the emotion. I would love to listen to your chronic pain meditation as well xx
After reading eckhart tolles The Power of Now and Louise hays The Power is Within You (both talk about approaching pain in this way), I’ve been using this powerful (& free) meditation to help me with it.
I only ever lived with pain up to the highest end of the scale until 2 years ago so I had to start there. Couldn’t do it every time but got into a practice of sorts with it.
It’s been a game changer and one of the bigger reasons, the pain has reduced to the extent it has:
https://youtu.be/EpgusOQUlmA?si=4Uq9aRGQmt5Tcz2Y