This moment, right here, right now, wherever you are, is all that matters. This is it. Our whole lives have been leading up to every moment. Think about that: every single thing you’ve gone through in life, every high, every low, and everything in between -- it has led you to this moment. Everything that has happened in your life has led to this point.
Many who suffer from Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at one time or another find themselves depressed over how they feel, the difficulties in finding effective treatment, lack of energy, the ongoing pain, or how loved ones respond to their illness. For many just being “happy” is a daily task in itself.
The most common question I hear from fellow is ”how to stay positive and deal with depression when you’re always in pain and hurting”?
Here are a few tips:
1. Keep moving.
Many suffering from these conditions find it difficult even to do the simplest of daily tasks, yet lying in bed all day doesn’t seem to help the pain and often leads to even more depression. Staying active is essential! Walking 3-5 minutes a day will keep your body active, even if it’s as simple as walking from one room to another. As you begin to feel better, increase your time slowly to 5-7 minutes and see how simply staying mobile can help with depression.
2. Stay hydrated.
Staying hydrated for even a healthy person is essential, but even more importantly for someone suffering from fibromyalgia. Make sure you drink plenty of water so that your muscles can nourish themselves and not tighten up and cause more discomfort.
3. Reach out for support.
There is a host of wonderful chat rooms and support groups that meet online and in person. Reach out to those groups that are designed specifically to help you, and allow the positive effects of simply sharing with others. You’re not alone, others have, or are experiencing similar feelings so don’t be afraid to lean on a support channel when feeling down.
4. Keep a journal.
We have all heard the power in writing down our feelings and thoughts. Make a point to write down your personal journey… the good and the bad days… and see how simply verbalizing your emotions will help you feel better.
5. Engage your higher power.
Whatever your personal beliefs are, engage your higher power for help in that moment, minute, or day. Ask your higher power for the strength to overcome your feelings of hopelessness and frustration.
6. Get educated.
Educate yourself on the treatment options available to you and get proactive in your recovery. It’s easy for many of us to wallow in the pain, but by educating yourself you will see that these conditions CAN be treated! You don’t have to suffer ongoing, talk with others who have recovered, read testimonials, and make an appointment and a goal to start recovering.
7. Re-evaluate your diet.
Diet and nutrition are key components in treating Fibro. Take a personal inventory of your diet and make sure you have eliminated sugars, white flour, caffeine, and alcohol -- all of which have a negative effect on sufferers.
Here are a few articles and helpful resources available if you would like more tips and information on dealing with depression:
Adapted from article from Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Centers.
Making a decisions to have a child is momentous -- it is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body.
~~ Elizabeth Stone ~~
Silence is the best language for communication. It helps us understand and realise the eternal truths about the self, God and the world. In silence we are able to comprehend and express sincerely and powerfully the true values of the soul such as peace, love and joy. Silence is not the absence of thoughts but it is a state in which the mind is engaged in pure elevated thoughts that nurture these values within. The power of silence develops all mental and spiritual powers that are needed to tackle various situations successfully.
All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.
~~ Earl Nightingale ~~
Each week (at least, every other week), I post a QOTW (Question of the Week) so you can join in and we can get to know each other better.
This week's question:
How did you come up with the name of your blog?
My answer:
I have so much to share and God has blessed me with so much. One of my favorite words is cherished.
cher·ish
This is a powerful presentation about the roots of the USA. It takes a short 4-5 minutes to watch, so take the time to pause in your busy-ness of the day and view this. Enjoy.
http://www.interviewwithgod.com/patriotic/highband.htm
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is a day to take it easy, so Kailani thought that Fridays is a good day to take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
The question for this week:
Based on my last post, I got to wondering about trust. Who is the one person you trust the most?
My answer:
My friend, Sandy. She tells me the truth no matter what, even if I don't want to hear it. She's not mean about it but matter-of-factly will tell me what needs to be said. Thanks, Sandy, for your honesty and friendship.
If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link at An Island Life. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!
A group I belong to was discussing the cons of Aspartame this week. One of the members, then replied to a message that said they had checked Snopes to see if there was any validity to the discussion.
After realizing so many people rely on Snopes for their fact checking, and wondering where does Snopes get their information, I did some fact checking of my own. It turns out that Snopes is just a husband and wife team named Barbara and David Mikkelson. Barbara does most of the fact checking herself, but does not list her sources. In other words, the place that most Internet users rely on to check their facts is not as reliable as most of us thought And, sadly, really subject to the biases of only two people. Think about that, they have the power to sway the thinking of a very large number of people on some very important stuff, including health and political issues.
I think Snopes may be a good starting point, but I think i you are looking for information you should dig a little deeper. I know the topic of Aspartame i no closed in my group, but I suggest that anyone interested in the subject go to Google and type "Aspartame dangers" or something similar and read more than one source, then make up your own mind.
I must say, I'm really alarmed by how quickly our society accepts whatever they hear. I'm even more alarmed by how much we hear these days that is either flat out untrue or, at least, skewed to fit someone's agenda. I believe this is partly why our country is in the mess it's in right now. It's unfortunate, but we just can't trust anyone anymore, including our oldest and once most trusted news sources.
Ever walked into a gourmet ice cream store and been excited by the sheer number of flavors available to you? Ever noticed how like that ice cream store, life offers an equally astonishing number of choices? And not just the big, dramatic ones either -- the amount of options you have when it comes down to the moment is truly amazing when you think about it.
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
~~ Dr. Seuss ~~
I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad its seems today, life does go one, and it will be better tomorrow.
I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they are gone from your life.
I've learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.
I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back.
I've learned that whenever I decided something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug or just a friendly pat on the back.
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
~~ Maya Angelou ~~
Accept Yourself
With all the indecision you've been fighting lately, you may lose sight of the clear choices in front of you. The biggest is your choice to be happy. Reject the self-imposed standards you've been struggling with -- frankly, they're too unrealistic -- and choose to accept yourself. There is no such thing as perfection, and aiming for it is almost an insult to what you're right now. Cherish all your faults -- don't change the things you love about life.
You may not think you can reach it.
Climb anyway.
You may not think you'll be heard.
Speak anyway.
You may not think you can change things.
Try anyway.
~~ Maya Angelou ~~
School districts can use tax dollars to employ and pay for psychologists and other technical experts.
Few parents can afford the thousands of dollars needed to pay for expert testimony that is necessary to prevail in IDEA due process hearings and litigation. Parents have fewer resources and yet must bear a greater financial burden.
Please call your Congressional Representative on Thursday, July 9. Ask him or her to co-sponsor the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act, H.R. 2740.
Summer sanity
Are your kids driving you up the wall? Summer can be a challenging time for moms. A house full of bored, cooped up kids can be a recipe for disaster. How do you react when your son crayons the wall or your daughter digs up the flowers you so painstakingly planted? You probably can't help being frustrated... but you can keep your frustration from getting out of control.
In this week's Learn A Latte, Dr. Gary Oliver discusses his own struggle with frustration and shares some ideas about how to get your own frustration under control. Check out Dr. Oliver's article and start becoming a saner, calmer you.
Remember, your family first.
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