I’m writing a series of small tips to help people with fibromyalgia. This is the first one, so I would love your feedback.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” -Lao Tzu
Do you recognize this vicious cycle: you have a better than normal day, so you try to get caught up on all the things that you have been unable to do. You may take out boxes, clean out drawers or hurt yourself climbing up and down a ladder. At the end you are too tired to think, and your body is screaming at you to be still. It’s almost like it wasn’t worth it to have a good day.
Even though it was terrible to have fibro in the first place, one of the best self-management techniques I have ever learned was born from necessity, and that is the practice of pacing one’s self.
When I was sick with fibro, I learned to not “leave it all on the field.” Because if I did, there wasn’t anything much left of me for days, and possibly longer. While there may be a time and place for “leaving it all on the field” everyday life is not one of them. Going to about 75-80% and then taking a break, will help you accomplish much more over a longer period of time.
Learning to flow with the day and one’s body has served me well, even as a perfectly healthy person. Even though I have a great amount of energy now (thanks to zeolites and grass-fed liver capsules!), on most days, I take a 20-minute break in the afternoon to meditate and visualize.
If I feel like I’m overextending myself – I stop and assess my situation: do I really, really need to be doing this right now, or will I help myself in the long run by taking a short break now?
Even though interruptions can lengthen projects, self-care is more important than a deadline – which is usually an arbitrary construct anyway.
So the next time you find yourself doing too much, my suggestion is to take little breaks to assess your progress and objectives. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by just how much is really being accomplished without messing you up in the meantime.
I hope you have found this Fibro Tip helpful, and I would love your feedback. As always, feel free to reach out to me directly at leah@thefibrolady.com.
Yours in joy and health,
Leah
Tell Us What You Think