Are you a worrier?
I'm the first to admit I'm a worrier. Are you a worrier, too?
I worry about pretty much anything and everything, even things I have no need to worry about. Having Dysautonomia, EDS, and GI Motility Disorder has not helped lessen my worry, either. I constantly find myself worrying about my illnesses and my symptoms; what's going on with my body or what it will be like 5, 10, 15 years from now.
Do you know what all that worrying has gotten me? Exhaustion, pure exhaustion and nothing more. So I decided instead of worrying so much I need to try to switch my energy toward something else, some other more productive emotion. I have picked being aware. I am aware I am sick; I am aware of my symptoms, and I am aware that at times my life can be a little scary. Being aware means that I need to educate myself and learn to work in harmony with my body to keep it healthy. Being aware means learning symptom triggers instead of worrying about and being afraid of everything that could possibly trigger them. Being aware is difficult, and it means admitting our own limitations, which no one likes doing.
But being aware is costing me much less energy than worrying. Because here's the brutal truth: being sick sucks! And it will most likely continue to suck, but it also makes you aware of things you wouldn't have been aware of before you got sick. Like how wonderful you feel on a non-flare day, or how strong you are capable of being. It makes you aware of every beautiful sunrise and sunset in ways you never saw them before, and it makes you aware that you can handle so much more than you ever thought. So while it's OK and understandable to worry (everyone does it) do not let that worry consume you. You have handled so much, and I'm sure you will have to handle more; you will continue to win because you are strong and you are beautiful, and you are so loved!
I think I mentioned before, I am a huge Harry Potter fan, so I will leave you with something from Hagrid:
"No good sittin’ worryin’ abou’ it,” he said. “What’s comin’ will come, an’ we’ll meet it when it does."
Are you a worrier? How do you handle your worry? We'd love you to share your experiences with us so we can learn from each other.