Almost a year ago on my 45th birthday I woke up in what felt like the body of a hundred year old woman; every muscle, every joint ached and it felt like I was walking at the bottom of a 5 meter deep swimming pool – every movement was made in slow motion and took forever. This lasted for a week. The doctors had no idea what was wrong except that I had had some kind of infection . . . My daughter had mono at this point, so I just assumed I had been infected with that.
Anyway, after a week it was gone, I still felt weaker not at all as strong as I used to be.
Then my mother died in November and mid January I had to singlehandedly arrange a Gala party at my school for 150 pupils – the following week I was sick and when I called my doctor he sent me on sick leave. At this point I had already been “dealing” with stress for about 1.5 years… Which is to say I was not dealing at all, I was just living with stress – constantly.
In hind sight I am extremely grateful that my doctor apparently saw what I was unable to… that I was spent, exhausted to the point where I actually was broken; every muscle, every joint in my body ached, though not as much as my soul and my heart.
In March I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.
I was now on sick leave with stress and fibromyalgia…
It took me 4 months before I was able to sleep 6 hours at night, to be tired and able to sleep at 11 pm.
After 5 months I discovered that I could do things like paint my shed, go for bike rides without it felt like my muscles were on fire (!) and without having to sleep for hours.
In July I discovered that my muscles no longer were aching, that I could drive down through Europe and back – 13 days of driving, almost 2000 km and I felt AWESOME!! No aches, no pains – just an amazing life!
My daughter and I went on a road trip: Germany, Switzerland, Tuscany, Austria and Germany. Best vacation ever! And I did it all on my own, because why not?! Because I believe that you are capable of doing what you want to do. The only limits are the limits within your mind.
So how did I do it? Stop the fibro-aches and pains?
Easy! You just change the way you think, the way you feel, the way you view the world, the way you behave, in short; you have to (be willing to) change your life completely. 😉
So far it has taken me 6-7 years to get where I am AND I am still not done! Because I did not set out to fight against Fibromyalgia I’ve only had that for a year perhaps?! No, I set out to change my life, to become a happier and better person – and I am still not done.
I could tell you that it is easy to change your settings, the way you think/act/react, but that would be a lie. It takes hard, constant and diligent effort.
The one thing I can tell you right now is; that every change you want in your life begins with you. Just you, no one else but you and if you’re not willing to change then nothing will ever change.
I can also tell you this one thing; It is amazing to change into a happier, better version of myrself. This journey has been awesome – incredibly hard, really hard, but worth it!
I will write more about what I have done to fight negativity, stress and not forgetting Fibromyalgia in my next submission. 🙂
May you find strength, joy and happiness along the road you travel.
Love, namaste and lots of blessings. ❤ ❤ ❤
