I’m a true believer that whether you believe you can or you can’t, you’re right.
I apply this to all aspects of life. Our minds believe everything we tell them. Have you ever noticed that some people seem to get ahead more easily, or always seem happier or healthier in spite of any obstacles or limitations that may seem to exist for them? Or found yourself surprised that someone isn’t as fit, happy, or successful as you would expect?
Ever wonder why that is? It ultimately comes down to mindset.
I’ve been told more than once I don’t fit the mold of a person living with fibromyalgia. I live a fairly normal and active lifestyle. It’s because I made that choice right from the start. I decided when I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia, at the age of 19, that I wouldn’t let it stop me. I continued with that mindset after a freak fall and hip injury in February 2018. It doesn’t mean it’s always easy. I have my days of frustration. But I refuse to let it keep me down. I refuse to let these things dictate my life for me.
I have fibromyalgia. It does not have me.
See how that works? If you decide limitations and obstacles in life own you, you’re right. Your mind will give up looking for solutions. Your body will stop working to its fullest potential. You’ll end up feeling defeated. Because you told yourself in the beginning that you were.
I’ll say it again. Our minds believe everything we tell them. Make sure you’re filling yours with all things good and hopeful, and reminding yourself that you’re ultimately in charge.
This doesn’t mean it will always be easy (I mentioned that above). It doesn’t mean your body will always respond and do 100% of the things you want it to do. But it does mean that you’ll learn to listen. You’ll learn that your limitations are not what defines you. You’ll learn what your body is truly capable of. And you’ll learn that you’re winning at life. Because you are in control.
30 days of thankfulness. It’s something I’ve done every November for the last 10 years or so. I’ve always believed in leading with a thankful heart. I’ve always believed that there is always something to be thankful for. I believe it’s more important now than ever to be able to find the good in every day.
2020 has been a year for the books for sure. Depression and anxiety have been on the rise. Not surprising. People have lost jobs, become sick with an illness that no one seems to understand, been kept from loved ones and, in some cases, lost loved ones. Finding the good can be extra hard in times like this.
But it’s so so important that we do. The negative is staring us in the face this year. It’s everywhere we look. But what if we shifted our minds to find the good? Whatever it may be.
The blue sky. The sunshine. The beautiful snowfall. Being able to spend more time with our loved ones at home. The fact that our pets love having us home more. Time to finally get a workout in. Our favorite ice cream. That cup of coffee. The online support group we may not have otherwise found.
You guys, there is so so much to be thankful for. The big and small things. Learn to look for those things and appreciate them on a daily basis. You’ll find you’re thankful you did (see, another thing to add to the list).
I invite you to join me this year in 30 days of thankfulness. (Even if you’re jumping in after the first. It’s never too late!) And then carry this mindset through the rest of the year and into the next.
The negative things will be pointed out to you enough. There’s no need to spend time focusing on them and finding your own negativity to add to it. So, let’s do this! Let’s fill our minds with all the good things!
Need a little help in resetting your mindset? Check out my free group here for a 3 week mindset challenge.
Listen to your body.
If you know me in person, or if you follow me on social media, I'm sure you've heard me say (more than once), "listen to your body." If I have any advice to give, that's the best. Y'all it's so important. No one knows you the way you do.
It's also common for me to be asked, "how?" "How do I listen to my body?" "What does that mean?" So let me see if I can explain.
It's hard for me. This is something I've been doing since I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia at the age of 19. No one told me how. No one even told me to. I just did it. Naturally. I didn't want to slow down but I quickly learned some things led to more pain than others. Some things would take longer for my body to recover from. So I learned what was what.
I realize though, that this is not the case for everyone. And, honestly, it seems to not at all be the norm. So, I'll do my best to help, because I feel it is so so important to our health.
Our bodies give us so many cues. Muscles tense up. Stomachs churn and cramp. Our bodies want to give out. We get headaches. Our brains become foggy, making it difficult to think or concentrate. I could go on, but I think you're probably getting the picture.
Y, all, these are all signs from ourselves telling us to change something. But what? How do we know?
Invest in a journal. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. It can be something as simple as a spiral notebook or something with more guidance like one of my favorite Dailygreatness journals. (These are fabulous by the way.)
Start making notes of EVERYTHING! Seriously. What did you eat today? How much? How did you feel afterward? The next day? What else went into your body? Think OTC's or prescription meds. Or maybe you use essential oils* or another natural form of pain relief. What did you drink? Write It All Down!
Did you workout today? What did you do? For how long? Notice anything different in your body? Where? How does it feel? Did you feel better or worse afterward?
Where you active or sedentary? What types of things did you tell yourself today? (Y'all, self-talk is sooo important! We'll address this in a future post.) Who did you surround yourself with? How did they affect your overall thinking and feelings about yourself?
I know, in the beginning it can seem like so much. It can feel like too much work. And if you're expecting immediate answers or changes, you're likely to lose hope and give up. Let me first encourage you not to do that! That's the worst thing you can do.
Start off small. Pick one area you want to focus on first. Then add another, and another. Choose a journal (like the Dailygreatness Wellness Journal) that will walk you through with prompts. Eventually you'll find yourself doing it automatically.
Just whatever you do, don't give up! Remember, you're doing this for you. You're working toward health and finding your best self. So, now you choose. Are you worth it or not? If you're asking me, I say you absolutely are!
Mindfulness: a technique in which one focuses one’s full attention only on the present, experiencing thoughts, feelings, and sensations but not judging them.
This is how the dictionary describes mindfulness. Being fully present in the moment. Experiencing, feeling, thinking (but not overthinking).
But why is this important? Isn’t it just a fad? If it is, I highly recommend you grab hold of it and don’t let go! Society would have you believe there’s no time for such things. We’re too busy. We have to do this. We have to go here. We’re lucky if we have time to sleep and eat, much less find time to “experience, feel, and think.” Unless we’re overthinking of course. Most people seem to have plenty of time for that.
But what if we just took time to stop and hear what our bodies are trying to tell us? What if we took time to listen to what God and the universe have planned for us? What if we learned to let go of expectations and take time to just be?
I recently picked up a special edition of Mindful magazine. In it they address things like chronic pain, inflammation, stress, sleep, and even befriending illnesses like cancer. Much of this is done through meditation (that’s a topic for another blog). I don’t know if you’ve looked much into meditation, but it’s the everything mindfulness!
The more we can become fully in the moment, the more we learn to take control of our thoughts, the more at peace we become. In all aspects of life. The more focused we become on the important things in life.
So, who exactly is mindfulness for? Everyone!
When should you practice mindfulness? When you wake up and when you go to sleep. When you’re at work. When you’re working out. When you’re deciding what to put into your body. Pretty much, always.
How do you practice mindfulness? Start small. Find some short guided meditations online (Audible has a few). Take a few minutes a day and journal your thoughts. You’ll find yourself becoming more and more aware as time goes. Before you know it, mindfulness will be a healthy habit! And if my own life is any indication, you’ll begin to feel so much better in every area of your life!
Bottom line is this: In order to move forward, in order to achieve our goals, in order to reach our dreams and live the lives we want, we must become mindful. We must focus on one moment at a time. We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves or we lose sight of what needs to be done now, of what we need now. We can’t focus on the past because it’s already gone. Take your lessons, learn from them, and move forward, into the now. Live in the moment. Experience, think, feel. Right now. In this moment.
Are you ready to take hold of your health? Start with my guide on developing a holistic lifestyle. Check it out here.
