Spring into Action…Gently

Ahh….Springtime.  The time when the early morning sun wakes us from our slumber, beautiful birds singing outside our window, nature begins waking with it's colors and life and we all emerge from the hibernation of Winter.  According to the commercials on TV and the ads in magazines, we should be skipping down the street in a flowy yellow dress with some theme song in the background. "It's a new Day, la, la, la."

Well, not all of us enjoy the sun peering through the window in the morning.  Especially if we just fell asleep after hours of staring at the ceiling.  The birds need a mute button because during a fibro flare, everything sounds like it's channeled through a megaphone.  Don't get me wrong, I love seeing the tulips emerging from the dirt and the grass regaining it's green color once again.  Although, when I see this, I wonder where the spring is in my step.  The song in my head goes something like, "Just get through the day with the least amount of pain, bahm, bahm, bahm…"

Of course there's no medical data showing that as the seasons change, flares become more frequent, but just ask someone with fibromyalgia. It's like saying that there's no proof that bad weather triggers arthritis pain.  Just because it's not proven in a lab, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

These days, I'm all about recognizing that weather patterns can change my circumstances then adjusting accordingly.  My pain actually gets worse if I begin to get angry or stressed about the changed experience.  So, I do my best to forgive my body for the pain and do more to nurture my achy back or pained hips.  I think everyone should have a basket full of magic.  Fill it with a favorite bath salt, a good book, soothing music, a comforting blanket, peppermint foot lotion or a great neck pillow.

Today I woke up aching all over and walking into walls.  Really…my daughter even asked why I walked into the wall.  I misjudged the area I had to walk through the doorway.  I haven't felt a flare like this in a while, so I looked out the window and there it was.  It was grey and cloudy.  The clouds looked like they were going to burst with the pressure of the water inside.  That pressure, I feel in my head.  What I did was putter a bit to get some food, tea and my pills and I bumper carred my way back to bed.  I had a bunch on my to-do list but I knew that it would be more frustrating and painful to push myself through the list.  I sighed, embraced and accepted that my to-do's will be to-done another time.

It's so important to know our bodies and to accept each moments.  On the days we feel better or even good, we can get two days worth of to-do lists done.  Then celebrate!

Thank you for reading, forwarding and following!!!
Terri

What Are We Chasing?

I'm perplexed.  What is it, exactly, that we're chasing?  People feel the need to be better, faster, have more, be successful, then more successful, have tight and wrinkle free skin, perfect teeth, the best car, another step up the ladder, a crisper mind, etc...

To get where?  Is there a destination, because from what I see, once people reach the goal they set, they are not satisfied.

This, I've even seen with seeking enlightenment.  First of all, what does that mean, to be enlightened?  Will we know it when we get there?  Is it possible to get there?  We throw ourselves and our money into seminars, retreats, the latest technology and silence.  Will these bring us to be enlightened faster?  Maybe, but first, we must find happiness and contentment here.  Right now, where we are.

I've used this metaphor before and I think it helps to explain what I'm getting at.  We are all evolving,
whether we are pushing the process or not.  The push is what causes push-back or resistance. Many of us feel it as stress.  We also know that stress is counterproductive.  Lets take a baby, for instance.  The cute bundle just learned how to crawl.  We're so proud and amazed at how the adults who know how to walk didn't have to actually get down on all fours and teach, step by step, this bundle of joy how to crawl.  There is an innate knowing in us, as humans, that takes us to the next level in our evolution.  I don't think any of us would see the baby crawl for the first time and grab her under the arms, stand her on her feet and expect her to walk.  And we surely wouldn't stand her on her feet, let go, see her fall and scold her for not doing what we want her to do.  How silly would that be?

Ok, we're adults and we've all had our experiences of going through some stuff.  Some we willed ourselves through and some we kicked and screamed the whole way because we felt it was the wrong direction for us.  What do we know?  I'm sure each of us can look back at those kicking and screaming times and see now, that they were important turns in our lives.

Is it possible that we could enjoy today, embracing all that we are and all that there is to be grateful for?  Could we also and at the same time, be wowed by our ideas of the future?  Instead of blocking out today's gifts because we're in such a hurry to reach tomorrow, just lean into the ideas we have of tomorrow.  Our energy can be conserved for enjoyment now and not burned up trying to reach a future something.  Tomorrow will come and with a simple and graceful leaning toward where we'd like tomorrow to bring us, we can co-captain this ship.

Make a shift from chasing to leaning.


Thanks for reading, forwarding and following!!!
Terri