Making Time To Help Me

Before I got sick, I would never make time for myself. I was always on the go. Working many hours while attending college, meeting my boyfriend and my friends.

I study social care. This is quite a hands-on course. While attending college I worked in the evenings and weekends in a restaurant. I also worked for free to get experience and as a part of placement for college. I worked in a school for autistic children and a school for troubled teens.

With all this, there was not a lot of time left for me time. Since becoming sick, this has changed. Now, part of how I manage my chronic illness is thinking more and making time to help me.

Self-care is part of my pain management toolbox

I take baths regularly to soothe my aching body and relax my muscle spasms. I ensure to stretch throughout the day to make sure my body does not seize up. I will also try to do yoga daily. This is good for my body, but it is also good for my mind. It is extremely peaceful. I am consciously taking time out of my day to do something to help my body and this for me is like meditation.

I started journaling over a year ago. At first, I was just journaling my symptoms. But as time went on, I decided to journal my feelings. In college, because I study social care, we were told to journal our feelings. I never did. I never understood the importance of it until now.

Now, I journal my feelings every day. It helps me to reflect on how I felt and why. I can also see how much I have grown emotionally in the past year. Journaling has allowed me to understand my feelings.

Journaling daily has led me to write down all my thoughts. Which lead me to write here. Which I love. Writing all my thoughts, feelings, and opinions of my condition and life since being sick has been an effective coping mechanism.

I found a love and passion for writing since I became sick

I never thought I would enjoy writing. Just because the only time I would ever write was in school or for college. I have had a lot of creative thoughts since I began writing.

I color and paint more. I am a very musical person, but I lost my passion for it a few years ago. Since becoming more creative I have found my passion for playing music again. I play the saxophone. This takes up a lot of energy, so I do this on days when I am feeling good.

Because of my fatigue, I spend a lot of time in bed or lying on the couch. You get pretty bored of watching TV all of the time. So, I started reading again. I used to love reading when I was younger. In the past few years, I stopped making time for reading. I have read a lot of books in the past year that I have really enjoyed. It is a good way to pass the time away instead of aimlessly staring at the television. I have just ordered a book about a guy living with AS that I can't wait to start reading.

Like I said, watching TV gets boring. When I was younger, I used to love video games. So, I decided to buy a Nintendo Switch. Which I love. It is a fun interactive way to spend a few hours. It is also a great way to hang out with my family when I don’t have the energy to do much more.

What do you make time for that you didn’t before you became sick?