Chronic illness is fatiguing enough. Yet, sometimes we do things (often unknowingly) that zap our energy, create stress, and leave us even more fatigued. Below are seven habits that are increasing your stress, pain, and fatigue, and generally making you feel worse. 1 . … [Read more...]
Extra Spoons and Inspiration
These posts contain little tips and inspiration to help you gain an "extra spoon" or two. Many with invisible illness call themselves "spoonies" in reference to The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino. The idea is that we equate our energy levels to spoons, when our energy levels are low, we need spoons. These posts are meant to help you increase your energy (whether mental or physical), and therefore your spoons.
Do You Have Compassion For Yourself?
We expect others to give compassion. We expect them to have it towards others as well as themselves. We give compassion to others without thinking, but do you have compassion for yourself? I've written and thought a lot lately about compassion. How doctors lack it, how people need to be more … [Read more...]
Communicating Your Needs When You Have Chronic Illness
A friend in my local fibro support group asked a fairly common question about how you deal with family who just don't get that your energy level varies, they don't get that you really DO hurt and that you really DON'T have any energy. How do you communicate your needs when you have chronic illness … [Read more...]
Things to Say to Someone with Chronic Illness
If you love someone with chronic illness, you want to show them you care. There are plenty of lists of things that you shouldn't say, things that aren't helpful to them or to your relationship. But, more important are the things that you should say to someone with chronic illness. These are the … [Read more...]
6 things that I had to give up in order to move forward
If we want to move forward, there are certain things we have to give up, because the more we hold onto things, the longer we stay stuck right where we are. It's been just over a decade since I "got sick" and started feeling my life and my plans slipping through my fingers. I had to give up going … [Read more...]
When You Feel Weak and Broken
There were times even before I was chronically ill when I felt weak and broken, when anxiety overtook me and controlled me. I felt weak that I couldn't control the anxiety. When chronic illness became part of my life there was a period of about two years where I felt completely broken and worthless. … [Read more...]
Chronic Illness doesn’t make you a failure
Do you feel like a failure because of your illness? Or, do you feel like a success? Donna over at February Stars shared some great thoughts about how our definition of success relates to chronic illness. We define our own successes, not societal pressures. When you strip it all back what … [Read more...]
Who are we to judge another’s illness?
How many times have you seen a comment from someone on social media commenting on how someone else with an illness can't possibly have it as bad as they claim (or as the author of the status). I ran across the below "migraine status" meme on Instagram. "If you're typing a status update that … [Read more...]
We just want a little empathy and understanding
There are three things those of us living with chronic pain need more than anything else - acknowledgement, empathy, and understanding. Yet, too often these are the things are lacking most. "The worst thing about having an invisible illness is that people have a very hard time believing you … [Read more...]
It’s ok to ask for help
How many times have we been told that we need to learn to ask for help, that we need to be willing to ask for help? Yet, no matter how often we hear it, the asking is still a struggle. We all struggle in different ways, with asking for different things. For some of us, we can easily ask for help … [Read more...]
