Counting My Spoons

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You are here: Home / Archives for pacing

Finding the Strength to Get Through Bad Days

Last Updated: April 13, 2021

Finding the strength to get through the bad days

It's not always easy to find strength in the bad days. You already feel overwhelmed and are struggling to just get through. This idea of staying strong is a bit over-rated sometimes, and sometimes the best thing we can do is allow ourselves to just rest. Let someone else be strong.  The more … [Read more...]

3 Comments Filed Under: Close to My Heart, Coping, Extra Spoons Tagged With: decreasing stress, pacing, positivity, stress

What causes fibromyalgia flares? My top 6 causes

Last Updated: November 27, 2020

What causes fibro flares? My top 6 triggers

  What Causes Fibromyalgia Flares? When you live with Fibromyalgia or any chronic illness that “flares” up at various times, life is unpredictable. It’s often hard to know when you might wake up having a bad day or when it may be a good day. Fibromyalgia flares can show up at any … [Read more...]

11 Comments Filed Under: Coping, Fibromyalgia, Tips and Tricks Tagged With: chronic fatigue, chronic pain, diet, flares, pacing, stress, weather

Tips for Pacing When You Have Chronic Illness

Last Updated: August 18, 2020

How to pace yourself when you have chronic illness (image of distressed girl surrounded by clocks) - Counting My Spoons

When you live with chronic illness it seems that everywhere you turn you are told to pace yourself and your activities. But, rarely do they explain what it means or how to do it. Pacing is a concept that gets thrown around a lot in support groups and blogs related to chronic illness. You may … [Read more...]

11 Comments Filed Under: Coping, Fibromyalgia, migraine, Tips and Tricks Tagged With: chronic fatigue, chronic pain, pacing

Do You Have Compassion For Yourself?

Last Updated: August 12, 2020

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...]

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Coping, Extra Spoons, inspiration, relationships Tagged With: pacing, self-compassion, sunday inspiration

Balancing full-time RV travel life with chronic illness

Last Updated: July 27, 2020

Balancing full-time rv travel and chronic illness

Just about a month ago my guy and I traded in normal life for a life of full-time travel. We've learned a lot in those few weeks, and we're still learning. I'm relearning how to pace myself and we're both learning how to balance work and travel life with chronic illness. I've learned that … [Read more...]

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Coping, My Life Tagged With: pacing, travel

Facing Fear with Chronic Illness

Last Updated: October 28, 2019

Facing the fear of chronic illness

Chronic illness can create a life of fear, as if there wasn't enough fear in your life already. For me, when chronic illness entered the mix, a whole new set of fears were created. Suddenly, I was afraid to do anything.  I was afraid of over-doing it. I was afraid of going out, and … [Read more...]

8 Comments Filed Under: Coping, inspiration Tagged With: chronic fatigue, chronic illness, chronic pain, cognitive behavioral therapy, fear, flares, pacing

Sometimes Rest Is The Answer

Last Updated: July 15, 2019

sometimes rest is the answer

Sometimes we need to be reminded that a flare doesn't mean a return to the worst. A bad day doesn't mean it's going to be a bad week, and a bad week doesn't mean it's going to be a bad month, and none of these mean we are going to keep feeling bad forever. The last 6 months have been really busy, … [Read more...]

4 Comments Filed Under: Close to My Heart, Coping Tagged With: chronic fatigue, pacing

Life in the Slow Lane: From life in the fast lane to life with chronic illness

Last Updated: July 9, 2018

What to do when chronic illness takes you from life in the fast lane to life in the slow lane

  Life in the Slow Lane: From life in the fast lane to life with chronic illness guest post by Samantha Taylor of Focus on the things you CAN do There are a lot of people in this world that I like to call ‘Doers’. The people who are always on the go, say ‘Yes’ to most things asked of … [Read more...]

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Coping, inspiration, relationships, Tips and Tricks Tagged With: acceptance, chronic fatigue, chronic illness, chronic pain, money, pacing, travel

Stop Using Your Illness as an Excuse

Last Updated: August 14, 2017

Your illness is not an excuse

I admit it, there has been a time or two where I've used having a migraine as an excuse to end a social engagement early. It was easier than simply saying "I'm not having fun and I don't want to be here anymore." I felt like it wouldn't hurt anyone's feelings, where admitting I wasn't having fun … [Read more...]

2 Comments Filed Under: Coping, Fibromyalgia, migraine Tagged With: pacing

Tips for keeping a clean home when you have a migraine

Last Updated: August 8, 2017

How to Keep a Clean Home While Suffering From Migraines (or any chronic illness) Guest post by Sammy Dolan   If you suffer from migraines you will understand how difficult it can be to get anything done. Migraines can potentially limit what you can do, and this includes housework. … [Read more...]

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Coping, migraine, Tips and Tricks Tagged With: pacing

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About Julie

Spoonie. Fibro Warrior. E-health advocate.

Julie Ryan was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2010 and endometriosis in 2012. She's lived with chronic migraine most of her life. In 2019 she was diagnosed with inter-cranial hypertension.

Julie has a degree in Psychology, and works as a freelance writer and marketer. Freelance work allows her to work when she can and not be tied to a desk or a schedule. Julie believes in living an inspired life despite chronic illness.

"I have chronic illness, it doesn't have me."

More about Julie

Blog title inspired by The Spoon Theory, by Christine Miserandino, an excellent explanation of what it's like to live with invisible illness. Read More…

Disclaimer:

I am not a doctor. I do not claim to be a doctor. I do not play a doctor on TV or the internet. I simply share my experiences and what has worked for me. We are all different and before you try any new treatment, exercise, supplement, etc you should talk with your doctor (the real one, not the one on TV).

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