Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
Photo one by Mizuki-hime
As a long time migraine sufferer, I have experienced days that are fairly normal and those that would be crossed out from universal existence…given a choice. The constant motion of my life, the ups and downs remind me of being on a teeter-totter as a child. (I hated it then, too.) That said, I now understand that the ebb and flow of life, whether you are a chronic pain sufferer or not, is here to stay. None of us will ever experience the perfect life without challenges, tragedies, and pain. Some of us are just a little more acquainted with the downward thrust of the cliche kiddie ride. Migraine has held me back at times but has also made me a stronger, more resilient and compassionate woman. I understand when someone hurts. I feel their pain as if it were my own. This phenomenon is likely due to the fact that I’ve experienced so much of it myself. In this case, my pain makes me a better human being, a better life coach.
Finding Balance
A child, who wants to ride a real teeter-totter, tries to find another kid who matches his or her size and weight so the experience is fun and safe. Right? Who remembers what happens when the other kid is much heavier or much lighter and jumps on the end without much thought? Yeah, it isn’t pretty. Well, I’ve come to the conclusion that, just as with the ride, life balance is imperative for us all if we want to have fun, especially for migraine club members. Whenever I get out of balance and begin to allow the pain and sensitivity to take over, I crash to the ground with extreme force. But, when I take one day, one hour, at a time (positioning all the players) by not succumbing to my health challenges, something amazing happens…I feel balance. This is not always easy, but it is possible with practice and by focusing on the middle space between the sky and the ground. This is a place where joy and peace happens.
Finding balance isn’t necessarily in the big things or events of life, it’s in the small things. If something brings you negative thoughts and feelings consistently, remove it, if you can. Our family drinks bottled water, so we always have a couple of cases in our pantry. For everyone else this storage method works; however, for me, it stinks. My husband leaves the cases on the floor. Because of this, I have to bend over to reach the bottles. Though this simple action is insignificant to most, it can be a migraine trigger for me. So, one day I decided to stop getting upset about this stupid little thing and take action that would make it go away. I picked up the case, emptied it out on the shelf, and lined the bottles up for easy access. Duh! I know this sounds stupid but, for some reason, I just allowed the situation to continue without doing anything about it. Why do we do that? Why do I do that? Anyway, it’s resolved now. That “splinter” in my teeter-totter is no longer able to do physical or emotional harm to me.
Noting Progress
I believe that each of us is responsible for understanding our bodies and our present state of health. We owe it to ourselves to recognize when our actions, thoughts, and emotions cause both steps forward and backward. In other words, noting progress (or decline) is important to our sanity and, ultimately, to the successful beating of this disease. There is no other way to appropriately educate family and friends about where we are with our illness unless we know ourselves. A simple journal is a great place to jot down facts, feelings, new treatments, pros, cons, and whatever else is helpful for you to keep tabs on your life. Doctors appreciate this, too!
Cause And Effect
Recently, I changed the way I think about headaches and chronic pain. Instead of always blaming my body and the “horrible” hand I’ve been dealt, I began to consider that my body is trying to tell me something…something is wrong, that is. Every living thing on the planet has a built in need to survive. If that is true, then our beings know when there is imbalance and an invasion of things that don’t belong, and they fight to ensure that life goes on. The body is powerful and intricate. It shows us pain because it is fighting for justice and balance. So, my “why me and why is this happening to me?” became, “what imbalance is causing this pain?” and “what can I do to change it?”. I don’t always get a definitive answer, but it’s a work in progress.
No matter what, we have the power to live fulfilling and happy lives, if we don’t allow the symptoms of imbalance to take over. This shift has made more difference to me than any medication, therapy, food plan, or counseling combined. Bottom line, take your life back by embracing what “is” and allowing your body to communicate in the way it needs to. It is only then we can truly find health and the life we desire.
Let us know what you do to stay balanced and productive. Your comments are SOOO appreciated!
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