Feel better

"Feel better"....Those two words are a constant topic amongst the chronic community.  I asked a few of my fellow spoonies, "how it made them feel when people tell them to feel better?" One said "Yes, that's a pet peeve of mine. Even though they mean well, it drives me insane. I'm not sure what they don't understand about the word CHRONIC!" and another said "As in like feel better soon...but I won't because it's chronic. Is that what you mean? I get it, but I also think people just mean well and are trying to be kind." Personally, I think that when people say "feel better", they genuinely mean it. They wish that we could feel better and that the pain would go away.  Watching the look on my fiance's face, sometimes breaks my heart. He has to watch the love of his life suffer, knowing that there isn't much he can do about it. I am guilty of complaining, from time to time, about never being able to feel better. When I start to get in those types of moods, I have to remind myself, that there ARE ways that I can feel better.

 Pain is always subjective and is defined by the person who experiences it. We all experience pain differently. Although, we may suffer from the same chronic pain...our triggers, symptoms, recovery...etc are all different. What works for your sister's brother's cousin nephew, might not work for you. To find ways to feel better, you have to think about what makes you happy. 

One, among many, healthy lifestyle changes that I made was incorporating lemons into my nutrition. I drink a cup of hot lemon water, every morning when I first wake up, on an empty stomach. The benefits are through the roof! It helps to aid digestion, natural anti-inflammatory, boosts your immunity, kickstarts your metabolism...etc.  The list goes on and on. If you can't stomach the hot lemon water, try cold lemon water. I would suggest adding in a few slices of cucumbers. It makes it taste yummy and adds extra nutrients. Drinking lemon water is just a way to ensure that your inner body can start to feel better. 

 A stress reliever that I love to use is coloring .It is so easy for me to concentrate on what I am coloring, instead of whatever pain I have.  I collect all different types of coloring books and have a plethora of markers,  colored pencils, crayons...etc. While I am coloring, even if just for a brief moment, I feel better.

 Another coping method that I  use, to try to feel better is listening to music. Music heals everything. It speaks a universal language and can heal the mind, body and soul. I put on my headphones, close my eyes, and let the music take me away. #MusicOnWorldOff  

Often times, with chronic pain, we have a hard time falling and staying asleep. We like to call that "painsomnia".

 There are two things that I do to help me drift off to sleep. The first is listening to the sound of the rain or ocean on my phone or tablet. The sound is soothing and helps me to relax, I can set a timer and let it play until I fall asleep. 

Another way to help me sleep is by using lavender. The smell of lavender encourages sleep. It is peaceful and serene. 

There are so many things that we can do to help us find relief. It all starts with us having a positive mind and an open heart. Be blessed and I hope that tonight you can FEEL BETTER!