What have you sacrificed since your RA diagnosis?
Are there activities or hobbies that you used to engage in, but no longer do?
Why did you stop?
[Really think about this.]
How would you feel if you were to paint, draw, photograph [insert hobby here]? How would it improve the quality of your life? What would it do for your mindset?
It’s great to know what you want to do, but that’s not enough.
You must actually do it. Thinking about what you’d love to do is a step in the right direction, but it’s the action part that makes the difference.
Action requires ascendance over excuses.
Think about that.
Making excuses – even legitimate excuses – doesn’t count. There are thousands and thousands of people who’ve tossed excuses out the window .. They’ve made the conscious decision to overcome obstacles .. To move mountains .. To prove to others – and more importantly, themselves – what they can do. They refuse to be defined by their limitations .. They scratch and scrape and bloody their knees, but they persevere and create their reality.
Conditions will never be perfect. Excuses will always be easier.
Make the choice to overcome what your mind thinks you cannot do.
Purposeful, positive, focused and intentional action are the building blocks of your best, most authentic life.
Take that first step and make it happen. Move the needle today.
Hope | Courage | Inspiration 
Hi. I don’t have RA, but what I do have is fibromyalgia and a long list of other invisible chronic illnesses and pain. I think RA patients and fibro patients have a lot in common. I really enjoyed this post and it is ever so true. It’s always so much easier to make up an excuse, even if it’s legitimate like you said. We have to get ourselves in the right mindset and make ourselves do the things we want or need to do. It’s very hard some days and it doesn’t matter how much we can accomplish, it’s the getting up and at least trying, getting up and at least moving, if for even just a short amount of time. It hurts while we’re lying down, so we might as well get up and do a little of something each day. Hope your day is a “good” one. I look forward to following your blog, as you’ve already inspired me. Good luck on your journey. Take care.
Peace,
Tammy:)
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Tammy,
Thank you so much for your kind words, and I’m delighted that the post was relatable for you. It’s so true – the characteristics that autoimmune diseases share are astounding, and it can be a blessing when we can relate to one another’s hardships and pain.
I love your heart and am so happy you stopped by! Let me know if there are any topics you’d like to hear more of… I always love chatting with other warriors and bloggers. 🙂
Hugs,
Lora
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Hi Lora,
I’m really struggling with pain. I got up today and did a lot because that’s what I do. Either I do it all or I do nothing at all. Little problem with that all or nothing syndrome. The pain is just about unbearable. I also have several chronic illnesses, caused by an autoimmune disease, that the doctors cannot put a name to. I try to cope by doing breathing exercises and meditation, but sometimes that’s not even enough. Just wondering how you deal with your pain. Any ideas? As I’m sure you know, with these diseases, we’re just all over the place emotionally. One day I can handle the pain and I’m all positive and optimistic and the next I’m ready to lay down and quit. Just wondering if you had any suggestions? Take care.
Peace and hugs,
Tammy:)
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Tammy,
I can totally relate! My Mom has always joked that we have two speeds – full throttle and stop. 🙂 But I’m so sorry to hear that you are in pain and that answers are few and far-between. The main way I deal with my pain is rest, trying to keep stress at bay and strength training in the gym (it helps support my joints so there’s less pressure on them). I also take a lot of folic acid and vitamin B supplements.
I can totally relate – the emotional roller coaster is tough to handle… And it’s so frustrating. I think it comes down to taking things one step at a time and finding something to be grateful for in every moment. I think it also comes from mitigating stress (if at all possible), and the gym really helps me with this.
I also try to read – a lot. Positive, inspirational messages are important. Keeping my thoughts positive is important too (although it can be tough when we hurt).
My hope for you is that you will be pain free and smiling in no time…
Hugs,
Lora
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Hi Lora,
I do plenty of resting, that’s why when I actually get a decent day, I just run with it knowing exactly what the outcome is going to be and I just keep doing it over and over and over. It’s really difficult to take a once so active person, add ADHD to that, and turn their lives upside down to where they land in bed and can’t do much. I like to get up and move and be social and would love to be able to work again, but that’s never going to happen and I’ve accepted that part. Being on disability I can no longer afford the gym. I do love to exercise and used to go to the gym all the time. I was in tip top shape at one point. I know I’m a real weirdo. People look at me like I’m crazy when I say I enjoy exercising. In fact, it’s one of my favorite things to do, but I can’t do it anymore. Not the way I want to anyway. I was sitting on one of those big exercise balls, to strengthen my core, and I would use one of those stretchy bands and do some arm exercises while sitting on the ball for 20 minutes. I was then doing about 10-15 minutes of floor leg exercises. Things I learned to do in physical therapy. I went for awhile, as long as my insurance would pay for it, to try to rebuild some of my strength I’ve lost by spending most of my time in bed. I then got the flu which turned into bronchitis, which took me a few months to get over. I felt well for exactly one week and the respiratory part/bronchitis came back with a vengeance and I’ve been still dealing with that. I started getting sick with the flu on Jan. 6th, so I have been sick for a long time now. Then there’s all my “usual” ailments that are never going to go away. So my exercise got put on hold and I still can’t get back to it yet. I do have a couple of doctor appointments next week, one of which is with my primary care doctor so we’ll see what she has to say about all this. I’m also having a really rough time with my stomach, worse than usual. It’s been really bothering me for the past few weeks and it’s something different. I’m really kind of worried about it because it is different than what I usually deal with. Eating is always a problem with me, but with this I just can’t eat at all or it intensifies the pain by at least 10. Been having a lot of diarrhea and cramping. I know I’m dehydrated. Everything that goes in is coming right back out. I may have to break down and go to the ER of which I HATE to do. I need some pain control and fluids because I can’t run around dehydrated for long. Not that I’m really running around, but I am aware of the dangers of dehydration. Been hospitalized for it on many occasions with this gastroparesis.
I was taking a lot of supplements and then found out I can’t take a lot of them because I also have factor V Leiden, a blood clotting disorder, and hereditary hemochromatosis, iron overload. So, I have to be very careful with supplements I learned. And, you know how most doctors are when it comes to supplements.
I agree, one step at a time and one moment at a time, it’s just easier said than done. I’m all about mindfulness, but I do have my setbacks. I just get really, really sick of being so sick all the time. Sometimes it’s really difficult to find anything good in that. I also have a lot of stress in my life, of which I’m trying desperately to deal with. 3 therapists and a health care coordinator through my insurance company. One heck of a team I’ve got to work with. Ever heard of such a thing? I see each therapist once a week. I’m working really hard in extensive outpatient therapy because I never want to be a patient on a psych ward ever again.
I also enjoy reading, but I just haven’t been in the reading a novel kind of spirit lately. But, I do have some books on positive thinking and positive quotes and things like that, that I do enjoy reading. Eventually, I’ll get back in to the reading spirit. I’ll read like a mad woman for awhile and then I try to read and just can’t get into it. I’ve been finding positive quotes, getting my index cards, different color sharpies, colored pencils and things out and writing the quotes on the index cards and decorating them and hanging them on the walls of our bedroom and my office. I even put one in the bathroom in our bedroom. I enjoy doing that. I bought a cork board and decorated it with pictures and quotes out of magazines, made a collage out of it and it’s hanging on my bedroom wall where I can see it at all times. I enjoy doing Sudoku puzzles a lot. So, there are plenty of things to do while resting.
Thanks for the well wishes. I hope for the same. I’m just kind of starting to get depressed again and I hate that and don’t even want to go there. Hopefully, I will pull myself out of this slump soon. I know once I get over this temporary sickness that will help a lot. When the pain becomes agonizing, that doesn’t help matters, either, but I’m used to the agonizing pain, just a part of my reality that I have to learn to cope with. Most people can’t even fathom that and I think that’s why it’s so difficult. I better stop here, as I’m now having a nice asthma attack and need a breathing treatment. Have a good night.
Peace and hugs,
Tammy:)
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