Last week, there was a day when I was feeling really good. So much so, that I started helping my husband with the daily housework. I helped fill up the animals water and food bowels and started cleaning up. I even managed to put the dishes away for him. Then it happened, my legs started buckling beneath me.
I was happy that I was feeling better and I wanted to help my husband since he does so much around the house for us. Unfortunately, my body no longer wanted to cooperate. Living with chronic illness, it is incredibly important that I listen to what my body is telling me. It's also important that I pace myself.
In Kira Lynne's book Aches, Pain, and Love: A Guide to Dating and Relationships for Those with Chronic Pain and Illness, she mentions that we need to pace ourselves and give ourselves time to rest. She recommends resting for close to 20 minutes at least once a day, even if we don't feel the need to. While reading her book, I understood why she would say that, but I didn't take her advice. Now, I wish that I had.
In a matter of seconds, I can go from feeling perfectly fine to grasping for the nearest wall for balance. Unfortunately, I can't always see it coming. So, to better prepare myself and hopefully prevent it from happening again, I have compiled a list of things to remember when I'm feeling better despite my chronic illnesses.
1. Don't over do it!
Over the last year or so, I've gotten to know my body and I can usually tell what I can and can't do. So, on the off chance that I feel better than normal, I need to make sure that I don't over do it. Looking back, I know I probably should have chosen different chores to do in order to help my husband. Refilling the animals food and water was probably fine, but instead of lifting heavy dishes, I could have started a load of laundry or made our shopping list. Whether or not you feel spectacular, it is still important to know your limits and to make sure that you don't over do it!
2. Give yourself time to rest!
Even if it doesn't feel necessary, we should give ourselves time to rest. We might think that we don't need it when we have a burst of energy, but we still do! The additional rest will help keep our bodies energized and keep us feeling well. It's important that we make time for rest and we do it the right way. I'm sure you think it's easy, but we need to lay down and close our eyes without any distractions. I like to image that I'm in a white room and anytime a thought pops into my head I try to paint over the image with white paint. While doing that, I really try to focus on my breathing. After a little while, I usually fall asleep.
3. Enjoy the moment!
Living with a chronic illness is hard and sometimes unpredictable. However, one thing is always certain...the symptoms will eventually come back. It's hard to ignore, but we need to remember to live in the moment while we have the energy to do so. We can't be obsessing over when the pain will return or when our day will go downhill. We need to enjoy what we're doing and create memories to look back on when we do have a bad day. On another note, it's easy to want to try to accomplish everything you've been putting off on your bad days. Yes, it's good to get stuff done when you're feeling good, but don't waste your day away. Make sure you are making time to do something that you enjoy and then go do it!
While good days seem to be few and far between for me, I really hope you guys get as many as you can! Just don't forget to look out for yourself, listen to your body and follow your heart!
What do you like to do when you're having a good day? Tell me in the comments!
Join the Perfectly Ambitious Newsletter!
Sign up for our latest content, products, and coupon codes!
Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.
- 6:00:00 PM
- 4 Comments
