If I don’t do it, no one else will

Many reports show that most of us with Fibromyalgia are “Type A”/ Control Freak / Perfectionist personalities. Over and over at support group and online I hear “If I don’t do it, no one else will” or “If I let someone else do it, I’ll just have to re-do it anyway”. At some point you do have to learn to just let go. Everything doesn’t have to get done and it certainly doesn’t have to get done your way. There are many times I look around my house and feel like things would get done better if I just did them myself, or I see things that need to be done and I know I just can’t do them right then. Often, when it’s something small, I will try to do it anyway just so I don’t have to think about it again later.

I think the frustration of not being able to do all the things we want to do/ are used to doing is worse than any of the pains we feel. It gets old fast. But as Jimmy Buffet would say “Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude”. You’ve got to be able to change your perspective of how things “should” be done. Delegate to others. Decide that things just aren’t that big of a deal. Realize that maybe your own sanity is more important than a few extra paper plates in a landfill.