Now that pain is a part of your life, on the days that you're struggling...how do you choose to survive? How do you survive the mental pain? How do you survive the emotional pain? How do you survive the physical pain?  HOW DO YOU SURVIVE?

Living with a chronic illness is a daily battle some days. To battle your thoughts against your body, your body against your thoughts...your thoughts and your body against your reality...its a battle...daily. What we do for us will see us through the daily battle with ourselves, for ourselves.

How do you survive? What do you do to help you get through your days? When your pain is threatening to over take you or has even stolen your voice...how do you survive?

The choices we make for ourselves when we are feeling our pain can either empower us through it or it can drag us down further into our rabbit hole of negativity. The choice is ours to make but sometimes we don't always make the best ones...have you ever noticed that in your life? Have you ever done something that you thought would make you feel better, only to later have feelings of guilt for having done what you did? Me too. 

Over the last nine days I have been bouncing between two homes house-sitting and doggie-watching while my parents were away on holidays. They came home yesterday and I was never more happy to see them come home safe and sound...and not just because I could sleep in my own bed...although that was something I was looking forward too...I was also happy that I no longer had to share the bed with the dog. For a little thing he takes up much more room in a queen size bed than a dog should be allowed to have...yes he's spoiled.

When I got home yesterday I crashed...emotionally, mentally and physically. A lot has gone on these last nine days and trying to keep two households as well...each with its own spoiled pet...was taxing on my hurting body and the lack of sleep had caught up with me. I took some time for me trying to feel better. I'm still hurting today and will be needing my coping skills. I hope you will bear with me.

Tammy

ahhh nuts!

It's time to check in and see how things are going? I'm curious to know how you are managing with your pain lately.

It's question time...

• Have you found the things in your life that help you to soothe your pain? whether it be your physical, mental or emotional pain...what do you do to soothe yourself?
• How about those thoughts? Have you started changing your thoughts about your pain so you can change your life? What do you think about yourself and your life, when feeling your pain? 
• What about the words you're using? Have they changed? Even the words you say to yourself when no one else is listening can be empowering or it can tear you down....how do you talk to you?...build yourself up!
  
• Have you broken out of the fitness protection program yet? Are you as active as you can possibly be in your life today? Even little steps today will keep you active tomorrow...take them!
• Who do you have in your life you can turn to when you need help? Who makes you laugh even when you don't want to? Who do you share your life with? Are the toxic people kept less informed? 
• Have you explored your treatment options for your diagnosis? What alternative treatments have you tried lately? 
• What steps have you taken to improve your diet? Do you think your diet and/or weight could be having an impact on your pain?

There are things we can do to help us live beyond our pain...have you found yours? What helps you to get through your days?

I hope you will give this some thought...and start to plan for your pain. Pain will be a part of our lives now but we still have a life to live....what can you do today to help you live the life you want for you? 

Now...will you do it?

take good care of you

Life is a journey. We are not meant to stay the same as we came into this world. Just as when you were a child and had so many things to learn, this never stops for us. Keep becoming the person you were created to be. This could be your butterfly moment.


~~Topaz ~~









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Picture taken by my daughter Emily

My back is giving me a go for my patience and abilities today so I'm taking a day for me. I'm also receiving my injections today so I'm hoping this will help settle things down. 

Have you taken a ME Day lately? What did you do? Don't forget though when you take a ME Day, it's not a day to get caught up on all the things you didn't find the time for or to spend taking care of others and their needs...it's a day spent focusing on only what YOU need to feel good. It's a day to focus on your emotional, mental and physical needs. So..have you taken a ME Day lately? 

If not, when will you?

I'm taking one today so I"ll be able to keep on top of my pain...see you tomorrow.

take good care of you
Tammy

If people refuse to look at you in a new light and they can only see you for what you were, only see you for the mistakes you've made, if they don’t realize that you are not your mistakes, then they have to go. 

~~Steve Maraboli~~



Picture taken in Port Burwell, ON

OH YEAH!! until then you may want to keep your distance