What this season means to a Fibromite

Aside from the glam and glitter of displays throughout the city and all over the TV is the dread we fibromyalgia patients have. The dread of not being able to keep up; not having anyone come over to see you (and the dread that they will, because we are not able to keep the house up.

Yes, we face a lot of fears due to our disease. Are we any better for having those fears? Absolutely not. We find ourselves sleeping the holidays away and not making those phone calls we used to make all the time. Then we're amazed when no one calls us! (fickle humans we are)

My friend, I am here to tell you once again "Fibromyalgia will NOT kill you." It may hurt like heck and you may for a nanosecond wish you were dead. But you don't really.

I have let Fibromyalgia rule my life way too long, along with other problems I deal with. (Most Fibromites have more than one health problem to deal with.

I read such a wonderful book that I recommend everyone on the face of the earth read (well, those who can). It's called What to Say When You Talk to Yourself" by Dr. Shad Helmstedder. It changed my life in so many ways.

Did you know you can actually talk yourself sicker? (Is sicker a word - hmmm) Well, according to Riverside Webster's II Dictionary sicker is not a word. So you can actually make yourself more sick than you are, simply by talking (in your head -or out loud if you really must).

There are 5 stages of self talk.  You have got to read the book.  I'm telling you... it will not only change the way you talk to yourself, but it will change the way you talk to others.

I'm always talking to myself when no one is around. Should I have admitted that?  Well, my family is aware of this constant conversation I have with myself, so I suppose it is no secret.

Fibromyalgia patients are so much better off if they push a little more each day to do something.  That something might just be open a can of soup.  At the end of the day, you will be able to say to yourself what you did that was positive and work hard not to dwell on those things left undone. 

If you have a task bowl (box, envelope, whatever) and put one task on a piece of paper and fill the container with tasks, as well as put them on a list, you can pull out a task when you are able to and once it is finished you can cross it off the list.  Each time you get discouraged you just look at the list.  It does help. 

What this season means to me is a big challenge, a time when I am trying to step outside my box for a few days.  Not necessarily two days in a row, but a few days.

Come and see what we can do, one thing at a time, day by day and we will welcome you with a smile. 

Smiles are sunshine inside one's heart.  I wish you many smiles  in your life!.