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Recently, while posting pictures of our new home on facebook, a friend, and fellow fibroLIFE Blogger, Kim Warren-Jennings, reminded me to go at a "fibro pace". I appreciated the reminder, although we both know it was a classic case of the "Pot calling Kettle black", for Ms. Kim moved in 2014, and expected to have 3 months of packing all put away in a few days! So, Pot was not just reminding Kettle...Pot was speaking from recent experience, and Kettle is indeed appreciative of her thoughtfulness, encouragement, and understanding!
In truth, the past few weeks have been draining, and today I am taking an "off day", at the advise of my wise Hubby, Darren Crysup, who shares my fibroLIFE, and therefore is greatly affected by my decisions. (Something we must keep in mind when we are doing, over-doing, or even under-doing and not doing! Another blog topic perhaps...?) Back to taking an "off day"... Anyone who knows me will know that an "off day" to me does not mean I am doing nothing. Those days are "down days", meaning Fibromyalgia has knocked me down for a bit and I am not able to be up and doing. (Yes, even a Fibromyalgia Patient-Expert has those days...another blog topic...?) Back to taking an "off day"... Well, you see how my mind works! I am constantly thinking, hitting on topics to write about, developing ideas in my mind, etc. Also, I hate messes or for things to be left undone. So, taking an "off day", for me, looks something like this: I have laundry going. I have taken Cally for a short walk. I have had my shower, done my hair and make up, etc. I am writing a blog post. I will put laundry up later...but that will probably be after a nap, at Cally's insistence, of course. ;-D It may sound like I am still doing a lot, but it is all slow paced, no stress, etc. I am actually ignoring the harder tasks such as the boxes that surround me, unpacked, the books and files that need organized, and the pictures and wall-hangings that have yet to be placed and hung. Not only am I ignoring them, but I am pretty much OK with doing so...which is very hard for me to believe! It has only taken me 49 years of life to learn that not everything has to be done immediately or perfectly! I cannot help but wonder how much better my health would be now had I learned to LIVE at a slower pace many years ago. I cannot help but think my FMS might not be as severe had I let go, at least to some degree, of being a perfectionist long before my body and mind lost the ability to be one! I cannot help but wonder how much easier my life...my husband's life, my family's life, my friends' lives...might have been if I had always LIVED a fibro paced life. If I had listened to my body years ago, when I was still just a child...hurting, anxious, stressed, tense, and afraid... how much more LIFE would I have enjoyed by living a fibro paced life...by LIVING at a fibroLIFE pace? Well, regardless of what I might suppose, there is no going back to do things differently. I can, however, control how I proceed from this day forward. I am thankful for the lessons I have learned, even though they were hard and involved literally collapsing at work, and pushing myself to the point of being unable to even care for myself. I was just existing then; miserable and feeling like a failure. As hard as I had always worked, as much as I had accomplished, and as involved as I was in so many aspects of life, I ended up miserable and just existing. I am thankful that at least I learned before I was 50 to LIVE at a fibroLIFE pace. I am thankful that, in spite of having FMS, I am happy...with goals, hopes, and dreams...really LIVING...LIVING...EMBRACING my fibroLIFE. My hope is that each of you are doing the same. If not...it is never too late...as long as you are breathing...you can start NOW...and we are here to help you...I am here to help you...for doing just that is one of the best parts of LIVING my fibroLIFE! Blessings all! Meshea Crysup
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 fibroNUTS: Eating Healthy This Holiday Season By Kathy Keeney (Originally printed in fibroLIFE Ezine November 2010) Take a tip from the American Diabetes Association ~ They suggest we divide our plate into three sections:
fibroNUTS©
More Eating Healthy this Holiday Season - It’s the holidays – there are parties and more get- togethers – should you eat salad ALL the time? NO, but, All things in Moderation. Be sensible. Yes, you have your favorite desserts, and you ONLY eat them at Mom’s, Christmas, or Chanukah. I’m not saying don’t indulge the whole holiday season, but be sensible about it. I make hand dipped chocolates for heaven’s sake! But, I also know that I can enjoy a few pieces of candy and be just as happy as when I was a child and was stuffing my face without a care or worry of gaining weight. The best way to keep weight off is to never put it on in the first place. Ways to avoid excessive calories at holiday events:
A fibro-FRIENDLY Christmas
When you have any chronic illness, holidays are usually difficult. This is especially true with Fibromyalgia (FMS). Chronic illness, again including FMS, is also hard on the wallet, and the holidays are as well! In today’s economy, this is even more so than in years past. With these things in mind, I decided to take a new look at how those with FMS could decrease stress this year. I have combined the considerations of stress, energy, pain, fatigue, expense, and what the holidays…and family and friends…are really all about. Holidays involve family visits, big dinners and or parties, and gift-giving. As if those things alone are not enough, they do not “just happen” without a lot of prep-time…a lot of energy, thought, work, etc. We want our homes “company-clean” and decorated. We want to serve everyone’s favorite dish. We want to see the look on a loved one’s face when they open their gift and it is just exactly what they wanted! Healthy people are usually worn out pulling all of this off, let alone trying to do it when you have FMS! None-the-less, we who have FMS perhaps want even more than those who are healthy to make the holidays special; extra special because we know our fibro-live imposes upon their lives, making them also fibro-lives. But with FMS, how does one ever pull off the successful holiday we envision? Well, first of all…we do not. We have to accept that in truth picture-perfect-holidays are just that: pictures! Once we have done that, we set some realistic goals, and with some “out-of- the-gift-box-thinking”, we can achieve them! What exactly is this “out-of-the-gift-box-thinking”? (Shamelessly, the pun is most certainly intended!) I am suggesting that you combine the chores that need to be done and the gifts that are to be given to create a less expenses and less stressful holiday for all! Suggest that rather than buying you gifts, your family and friends “do” something for you as their gift this year! Suggestions:
The possibilities are endless and we would love to hear of any you come up with! Also, we want to know how well our ideas work for you! Please share your fibro-FRIENDLY Christmas results and ideas with us after the holidays! Have a Merry fibro-CHRISTMAS and a Happy, Happy New fibro-YEAR ! Blessings on you and your fibroLIFE! ~Meshea Crysup, Founder/Director of fibroLIFE www.MesheaCrysup.com mesheacrysup@gmail.com Originally published in Oct of 2012. Hello All!
It is so very good to be back with you! Forgive my absence, but Darren, Cally, and I began the process of relocating to Vicksburg, MS, at the end of October, and as you all know only all too well, there was just no way I could continue to blog and handle the move. We are in our new home now...still surrounded by boxes...but here at last...and I am determined to be back HERE with all of you! So, fair warning...I'll be showing up FREQUENTLY again! Blessings all... Meshea |
Meshea Crysup
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