DON’T LET THIS FEAR FACTOR TAKE A BITE OUT OF YOUR SUCCESS
Fear and FibromyalgiaI’ll get right to the point. Without question, the predominant issue blocking your way from future success is: FEAR.
Last week, I held another (quite unofficial) short survey on my FibroWHYalgia Facebook page. I asked — When it comes to your own health journey, what ONE single thing keeps you from moving forward?
Here’s how you responded:
* Increased pain
* Becoming worse off than you are now
* Learning new habits (unhealthy habits are so easy)
* Becoming even more confused about your goals
* Stress over financial investments in health
* Difficulty staying positive
While the answers reflected a wide variety of topics (for example, several brought up the issue of fibromyalgia pain) – do you see a common denominator to them all?
They all point out an innate fear about change. 
If I change what I eat, start a fitness program,
and change how I think, what will happen?
Imagine that you’re standing near the threshold of a closed door. The door all by itself holds no threat, but the unknown factors behind it may seem or feel threatening.
This is how many of us view change. We feel the door is open or closed. We’ll succeed, or fail. We’ll find pain relief, or still live with pain. It’s all or nothing.
But … life isn’t all or nothing. Change isn’t right or wrong.
Simply put — change allows us to learn something new, continue with what works, and move past what doesn’t. It’s all part of the journey.
And, we get to CHOOSE where to place our FOCUS. Are we going to focus on our past or our future?
Is it time to open the door to change? What would you like to try?
Hi Sue,
Am having a terrible flare-up. The first in a real long time. The fatigue leveled me; however, focus on feeling better every day is getting me through plus bloodwork from doctor to confirm infection and dehydration. Felt I did everything right but elements just “got to me”. Probably stress……….hmmmmmmmm!
So giving myself permission to regroup and do a little more each day. It is what it is. A change is awaiting me – I know it and it’s the journey I’m not afraid to take.
Paula — I’m so glad you’re giving yourself permission to move self care up to a higher level on your priorities list!! Good for you!
Change is inevitable, but how we choose to deal with it is completely up to us. Thanks so much for sharing…
Sue
Hi Sue. I am very fearful of the future. Mostly of being in pain. I am currently able to manage due to the medications I am taking. I have great fear that if I lose my current doctor in the future I will once again sprial down to the breaking point as I don’t know if another physician would agree with my medication regiment. Not sure how to deal with this one. Thanks so much for listening. Pam
Pam, thanks so much for letting us know how you feel. It’s important to be honest with ourselves as much as with others. The fear that you’re experiencing is over a situation that hasn’t happened, and may not happen at all. Of course, it is a possibility. The options that are before you right now — at this minute – are to live fully knowing that you have the care that you need at this moment. Living in “tomorrow” is stealing the comfort that you can fully experience today. If you’ve experienced that “spiral down” journey before (and we all have), you also know that you’ve experienced “spiral up” journeys, too. It’s our choice regarding how and where we choose to place our focus. You have the skills to successfully navigate your “spiral up” journey and when you find yourself focusing on that success, you can see opportunities that may not have been clear to you otherwise. Here’s to shifting your focus to your past, present, and future successes with your “spiral up” journeys. And, thanks again for sharing this important thought.
I was really diagnosed at age 78. Now 80, I find I have my moments of feeilng good, and really long periods of feeling poorly. I have terrible trouble sleeping as pain wakes me up.
House work gets done on a need to do bases, and sometimes brings on the feeling poorly days. I continually keep busy socially and know when to step back and relax.
I am on Gabapentin and take ibuprophen for pain. Vitamin D and B12 Fish oil and CoQ10.
What am I missing?
Try to keep up with the latest articles. ( I also have reflexology for help with my feet and legs and find this most helpfull)
Thanks for listening.
Kay — looking at your current protocol, I can’t speak to “what you may be missing” because I don’t know enough about your personal needs. I can say, however, that you sound like a very articulate person who is aware of what works and what doesn’t. That’s really what it takes to stay well. In times of your worst flares, are you able to determine what started the flare? Oftentimes, it’s something small or minor, but then we get ourselves into the mindset of, “Oh no, here it comes….” and we see the snowball effect of the flare. The goal is to determine the beginning of the flare, and then analyze what you can do to take care of that trigger. Foods, stress, sleep disturbances, relationship issues, environmental toxins, injuries, etc. can all trigger flares. Keep up the good work in being aware and thanks so much for sharing here!
Sue, When I think about my Fibro and exercise, the phrase I think of is “Counter Intuitive.” In other words, my body says to me, “Hey, I hurt. Surely you aren’t thinking of getting on that treadmill, are you? Going for a walk? You’ll be sorry.” So I really get why so many people used the word “fear”. Sometimes, it’s like your own body is an enemy agent, trying to keep you chair-bound and house-bound.
My mom and dad taught my daughters to swim, ride bikes and skate. In my heart, I want to be THAT grandma. But like others who wrote to you, I fear the pain.
Anne
Anne — thanks so much for the heartfelt response! I really value your honesty. It does take something outside ourselves (faith, belief, tenacity, hope, etc.) to step into the unknown. I completely get that, as I was there, too. I can only speak from my experience (as well as from many, many others like me) that the benefits of movement far exceed your expectations. Body movement (at whatever level tailored for you) CREATES energy, it helps the body to detoxify, it lifts the mood. It clears away fibrofog. Creating a fitness plan – and sticking with it – can be nothing short of miraculous. But – it isn’t an overnight success miracle. Imagine someone who dreamed of being a proficient pianist, yet never sat down at the piano. She may own a piano, she may plink at it once in a while, but until she decides that it’s her fervent desire to play, her skill can never be developed beyond the wishing phase. When it comes to being the the grandma who teaches my grandkids to swim, bike, and skate — I want to be that grandma, too 😉 Thanks so much for sharing and I want to hear how you’re doing!