I need to work on half of the list of energy robbers! And I will be using some of the tools you wrote about too. Feeling encouraged to get energized! 😃
I know what you mean Jennifer, those energy robbers are so sneaky and habitual! I think a big part of the process is catching ourselves in the moment and asking why we are doing it. One more place to start asking questions!
Donna, you didn't know it when you wrote this on Dec 10, but you wrote it for me to find today! Thank you! I think I have been thinking and feeling many of these things, but not in the organized, logical way you have presented them. I am saving this post to refer back to and look forward to reading more of your work!
Cherie, I love when the Universe drops something on us exactly when we need it and am so glad you found this piece useful. This is a topic dear to my heart having had to do a deep dive into my own energy level.
Thanks so much for popping over here to check it out💕
Thank you for this. I have been suffering from severe anxiety after 6 months of near perfect retirement. I finished my first project - losing 65 pounds - then fell off the cliff. I think because that's when I realized it wasn't just a vacation - I wasn't going back to work to show off my new body to my colleagues. Moving forward and giving up good memories of the past has been almost physically painful. Suddenly feeling OLD at 62, and without a purpose. Agreed, movement and tasks are KEY to keeping the mind from ruminating. And cold showers. I went back to them after giving myself a break when the weather got cold. But my house is heated, so why not? I think I'll try singing next.
Oh Sweetie, I am so sorry to hear how you've been feeling. Our human brains and hearts are fascinating - when we have our eye on the goal, in your case retirement & weight loss, and we are successful at achieving it we can feel empty and lost.
It would help to look at this as an incubation time - you are hibernating for the next unfurling of your gorgeous self. Try immersing yourself in content and material that lift you and take slow steps to follow your curiosity. Things you're curious about will lead you in the right direction but can't be forced. There is something amazing waiting for you if you allow it the space to come in. You can feel anxious and allowing at the same time because you are in the midst of tremendous change, it's a huge thing.
Thank you so much for your insightful comment, you likely echo what many of us feel.❤
This post may be the holy grail of all healthy-living, becoming-true-to-ourselves writing on the internet! You've ushered us to the too-often-forgotten physical basis for implementing individual change and collective transformation. I have long held that inner, spiritual work cannot establish a foothold in a body depleted.
For me personally, I have found that with age, good sleep and rest are the foundation for all else. I so appreciate you giving this importance. For me, I can live and eat clean and move every day, and "all the stuff," and if rest begins to waver, my personal compass goes caddywampus, and the only thing to do is restore the rhythms of rest. This has become an inner reckoning--accepting my own rhythms in a hasty, always-on world.
I also love that you show us the physical depletion of living out of integrity--saying yes when inside says no. It's hard to disappoint others. It's harder still to pay the physiological cost.
Renee I LOVE the word caddywampus! I don't think one could remain in a bad mood while using that word in a sentence. I'm going to hold on to that one💗
I wholeheartedly agree with you about the importance of rest, I think it comes above all things. I feel my Mom's inability to get a good night sleep in her middle age may have been a significant driver in the cognitive decline she experienced later.
A heartfelt thank you for your kind words about my piece, it means a lot to me that you liked it.
If sleep played into your mother's cognitive decline, I am so very sorry. We are learning so much about the body's regenerative processes during sleep, and it's an unfolding understanding. Medications that have been a mainstay for people for years are now implicated in cognitive decline, too. Damned if you do, damned if you don't (not telling you anything you don't know!). I could see a whole Bright Life series on sleep and rest being of incredible interest and support.
There was a time that I thought I would never get a full night's sleep again. Not so today, fortunately. In my early middle age, those very medications now implicated were prescribed to me. I chose a different path but only because I had understanding about plants and spent a number of years experimenting. To say, whether from lack of sleep or the medications prescribed to treat insomnia, the brain is affected. Hopefully, these understandings can have a positive effect in our and future generations, which our parents' generation could not benefit from.
A wonderful piece, Donna. I think you have picked the perfect time of year to send out this super helpful message, and for me it has been just that — super helpful!
I really like what you said here —
“They work because they help you feel better and, as simple as it sounds, when you feel better you do better.” — because you provided a clear way this can help us and that’s very important.
Also, I loved the little fact about neuroscientists not watching the news that was good to hear. I stopped watching the news completely a long time ago, and I always felt kinda bad about doing so, like I ‘should’ stay up to date, but it’s just too negative and energy draining for me to engage in.
I'm glad you're finding this info helpful Michael. If there are things going on in the world that you need to know about you will find out, people in your life will tell you without you needing to watch the news and feel yucky (that's my medical lingo - yucky!!🤣)
Thank you Donna - as much as RA has stolen from me and replaced it with pain etc - Often the hardest part is the major fatigue. While the fatigue is at its worst it is when the pain is so intense. I’ve often thought of it as a coping mechanism the body uses to allow for sleep.
The worst part is when fatigue shows up by itself. When it actually hurts to move because the body is so tired. I know my medications can do a bit toward it, I know when I give in to a craving of a cookie or sugar of some sort it can add to it.
But there are times that I do need to listen to my body and stop.
I am wondering how to know the difference? Is it possible to know? Even after 16/17 years I still have new things to learn about this Autoimmune Lifestyle.... ✌🏻
Pamela thank you for this excellent question. I am so sorry you are suffering the way you are. While I am a licensed healthcare provider I'm not an expert on autoimmune disease and my suggestions do not take the place of medical advice, they are simply based on my own experience.
You are looking for your edge and only you can know what it is. Perhaps you could start by asking your higher power (whatever that is for you, your best self or something more) to show you where your edge is when it comes to movement. I would suggest you ask it out loud to yourself, and also write it down. Ask to be shown in a gentle but CLEAR direction and then start to pay close attention to what comes up. You may get answers quickly or you may have to keep asking over and over before you get a sense of what you can and can't do.
It's tricky to answer this without talking to you but sometimes you have to move through the pain. Perhaps you have developed a habit of not moving when it hurts? Only you know. If that's the case is it possible to start moving just a little even if you're sore? Practice walking around your house and then a little further, and see if you can gradually increase it. It will take time and commitment but doing this may also begin to shift the fatigue eventually as well.
It sounds like you are already aware that what you eat and drink has a very big influence on the symptoms of RA. Making a commitment to eating clean, and experimenting with different things to see what helps you feel best, can often help the pain and fatigue. Nutrition is a gamechanger.
Making a concerted effort to question your thoughts around the pain, fatigue, and RA will likely prove helpful. I found myself talking about being tired far too often and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Yes, you have an underlying pathology. It exists and is very hard. But you can give yourself a break with your thinking about it and, while it may not help the symptoms too much, it may allow for a much needed mental reprieve. I would suggest the work of Byron Katie to learn to do this, she has a great book.
Watch the content you are consuming, print, TV, social media etc. Surround yourself with stories of physical healing and inspiration because this will affect your energy and make a difference. I also highly recommend the book The Relaxation Revolution by Herbert Benson, MD. He ran a research clinic at Harvard for decades and did some amazing research and developed very effective techniques for pain management.
All of these things, done consistently (especially food and movement) will help you be able to more clearly discern where you are and be able to move forward from that place.
I hope this helps a bit. I appreciate you being here and leaving your question in the comments💗
☺️ thank you for the opportunity to hear other options. I do know I have learned to listen to body regarding activity that helps and what may cause “activity hangovers”.
I am also aging along with an illness which has no cure. I think the aging part may just be the hardest part.
I appreciate the information as well as the recommendations. I know and appreciate the time you spent replying to my very long questions and comments. From reading replies you receive from people who know you, it is quite obvious how kind, caring and loving you truly are.
Appreciate you and am so very pleased to have met you here.
My daily steps include looking for ways to reduce my physical pain levels and thereby improve the quality of my sleep. Im also slowly moving towards new daily goals and habits to increase my physical strength. I’d like to add more movement in the form of dancercize as well. Thx for your post!
Tammy, it is so lovely to see you here in my comments section! It's amazing how decreasing pain and better sleep go together and the neurology involved. Having goals to get stronger will help with both of those. Dancercize will be awesome! It helps so many things, an amazing mood booster as well. I kind of make up my own dancercize (no one else would be able to follow along, haha!)
Pure gold, Donna! Thank you! Although it seems like common sense now, I hadn't thought of the importance of energy levels in implementing change. But of course that's a HUGE factor! With my commitment to invoke comfort in 2023, among other things, I began aligning with circadian rhythms (essentially living in harmony with the sun cycle) and it has been a massive game changer as far as my energy levels. But now I'm also going to add smiling at myself and a few other gems. ♥️
It's something how our circadian rhythms get discombobulated. Well done getting yours on track, that's super valuable. The smiling at ourselves trick is amazing. Also looking deep into our own eyes - a surprisingly difficult and very powerful thing (or it was for me).
So good! Thank you for sharing :)
Thank you so much Cecily, I appreciate you taking the time to comment!
I need to work on half of the list of energy robbers! And I will be using some of the tools you wrote about too. Feeling encouraged to get energized! 😃
I know what you mean Jennifer, those energy robbers are so sneaky and habitual! I think a big part of the process is catching ourselves in the moment and asking why we are doing it. One more place to start asking questions!
Oh, these are so good, Donna! I love how you highlight the energy-giving power of intentional movement - for me, yoga each day is essential.
Thank you Dana!
Donna, you didn't know it when you wrote this on Dec 10, but you wrote it for me to find today! Thank you! I think I have been thinking and feeling many of these things, but not in the organized, logical way you have presented them. I am saving this post to refer back to and look forward to reading more of your work!
Cherie, I love when the Universe drops something on us exactly when we need it and am so glad you found this piece useful. This is a topic dear to my heart having had to do a deep dive into my own energy level.
Thanks so much for popping over here to check it out💕
Love your list of energy robbers and energy enhancers. So obvious, and yet, so useful to have them pointed out to me 😀
Vicki, thank you so much for popping over to check it out and for leaving a comment! I'm glad you found something useful here❤
I love your suggestions here Donna. This is such a thoughtful post and I appreciate how accessible the practices are. Thank you!
Ashley it is wonderful to see you in my comments section, thank you! I appreciate your kind words and am glad you found some useful information❤️
What a gem. 🫶
Thank you Sweetie! YOU are a gem.
Love this: You need to change the frequency at which you’re operating to move closer to your best self.
I'm so glad you liked it Grace! I appreciate you reading it and also for dropping into the comments section😀
Thank you for this. I have been suffering from severe anxiety after 6 months of near perfect retirement. I finished my first project - losing 65 pounds - then fell off the cliff. I think because that's when I realized it wasn't just a vacation - I wasn't going back to work to show off my new body to my colleagues. Moving forward and giving up good memories of the past has been almost physically painful. Suddenly feeling OLD at 62, and without a purpose. Agreed, movement and tasks are KEY to keeping the mind from ruminating. And cold showers. I went back to them after giving myself a break when the weather got cold. But my house is heated, so why not? I think I'll try singing next.
Oh Sweetie, I am so sorry to hear how you've been feeling. Our human brains and hearts are fascinating - when we have our eye on the goal, in your case retirement & weight loss, and we are successful at achieving it we can feel empty and lost.
It would help to look at this as an incubation time - you are hibernating for the next unfurling of your gorgeous self. Try immersing yourself in content and material that lift you and take slow steps to follow your curiosity. Things you're curious about will lead you in the right direction but can't be forced. There is something amazing waiting for you if you allow it the space to come in. You can feel anxious and allowing at the same time because you are in the midst of tremendous change, it's a huge thing.
Thank you so much for your insightful comment, you likely echo what many of us feel.❤
Donna,
"Our physical energy is our holy grail."
This post may be the holy grail of all healthy-living, becoming-true-to-ourselves writing on the internet! You've ushered us to the too-often-forgotten physical basis for implementing individual change and collective transformation. I have long held that inner, spiritual work cannot establish a foothold in a body depleted.
For me personally, I have found that with age, good sleep and rest are the foundation for all else. I so appreciate you giving this importance. For me, I can live and eat clean and move every day, and "all the stuff," and if rest begins to waver, my personal compass goes caddywampus, and the only thing to do is restore the rhythms of rest. This has become an inner reckoning--accepting my own rhythms in a hasty, always-on world.
I also love that you show us the physical depletion of living out of integrity--saying yes when inside says no. It's hard to disappoint others. It's harder still to pay the physiological cost.
Thank you for this, as always.
Also, beautiful image!
Renee I LOVE the word caddywampus! I don't think one could remain in a bad mood while using that word in a sentence. I'm going to hold on to that one💗
I wholeheartedly agree with you about the importance of rest, I think it comes above all things. I feel my Mom's inability to get a good night sleep in her middle age may have been a significant driver in the cognitive decline she experienced later.
A heartfelt thank you for your kind words about my piece, it means a lot to me that you liked it.
Donna,
If sleep played into your mother's cognitive decline, I am so very sorry. We are learning so much about the body's regenerative processes during sleep, and it's an unfolding understanding. Medications that have been a mainstay for people for years are now implicated in cognitive decline, too. Damned if you do, damned if you don't (not telling you anything you don't know!). I could see a whole Bright Life series on sleep and rest being of incredible interest and support.
There was a time that I thought I would never get a full night's sleep again. Not so today, fortunately. In my early middle age, those very medications now implicated were prescribed to me. I chose a different path but only because I had understanding about plants and spent a number of years experimenting. To say, whether from lack of sleep or the medications prescribed to treat insomnia, the brain is affected. Hopefully, these understandings can have a positive effect in our and future generations, which our parents' generation could not benefit from.
I wholeheartedly agree. Thank you for this insightful input.
We are blessed by *your* insightfulness!
Beautifully said Donna.
With gratitude,
Thank you so much Rodrigo, I appreciate you being here!
A wonderful piece, Donna. I think you have picked the perfect time of year to send out this super helpful message, and for me it has been just that — super helpful!
I really like what you said here —
“They work because they help you feel better and, as simple as it sounds, when you feel better you do better.” — because you provided a clear way this can help us and that’s very important.
Also, I loved the little fact about neuroscientists not watching the news that was good to hear. I stopped watching the news completely a long time ago, and I always felt kinda bad about doing so, like I ‘should’ stay up to date, but it’s just too negative and energy draining for me to engage in.
Thanks you, Donna. :)
I'm glad you're finding this info helpful Michael. If there are things going on in the world that you need to know about you will find out, people in your life will tell you without you needing to watch the news and feel yucky (that's my medical lingo - yucky!!🤣)
Yes exactly, that’s what I’ve found, everybody keeps me up to date without me even asking hahaha.
Saves me all that yuckiness 😂
Thanks Donna :)
Thank you Donna - as much as RA has stolen from me and replaced it with pain etc - Often the hardest part is the major fatigue. While the fatigue is at its worst it is when the pain is so intense. I’ve often thought of it as a coping mechanism the body uses to allow for sleep.
The worst part is when fatigue shows up by itself. When it actually hurts to move because the body is so tired. I know my medications can do a bit toward it, I know when I give in to a craving of a cookie or sugar of some sort it can add to it.
But there are times that I do need to listen to my body and stop.
I am wondering how to know the difference? Is it possible to know? Even after 16/17 years I still have new things to learn about this Autoimmune Lifestyle.... ✌🏻
Pamela thank you for this excellent question. I am so sorry you are suffering the way you are. While I am a licensed healthcare provider I'm not an expert on autoimmune disease and my suggestions do not take the place of medical advice, they are simply based on my own experience.
You are looking for your edge and only you can know what it is. Perhaps you could start by asking your higher power (whatever that is for you, your best self or something more) to show you where your edge is when it comes to movement. I would suggest you ask it out loud to yourself, and also write it down. Ask to be shown in a gentle but CLEAR direction and then start to pay close attention to what comes up. You may get answers quickly or you may have to keep asking over and over before you get a sense of what you can and can't do.
It's tricky to answer this without talking to you but sometimes you have to move through the pain. Perhaps you have developed a habit of not moving when it hurts? Only you know. If that's the case is it possible to start moving just a little even if you're sore? Practice walking around your house and then a little further, and see if you can gradually increase it. It will take time and commitment but doing this may also begin to shift the fatigue eventually as well.
It sounds like you are already aware that what you eat and drink has a very big influence on the symptoms of RA. Making a commitment to eating clean, and experimenting with different things to see what helps you feel best, can often help the pain and fatigue. Nutrition is a gamechanger.
Making a concerted effort to question your thoughts around the pain, fatigue, and RA will likely prove helpful. I found myself talking about being tired far too often and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Yes, you have an underlying pathology. It exists and is very hard. But you can give yourself a break with your thinking about it and, while it may not help the symptoms too much, it may allow for a much needed mental reprieve. I would suggest the work of Byron Katie to learn to do this, she has a great book.
Watch the content you are consuming, print, TV, social media etc. Surround yourself with stories of physical healing and inspiration because this will affect your energy and make a difference. I also highly recommend the book The Relaxation Revolution by Herbert Benson, MD. He ran a research clinic at Harvard for decades and did some amazing research and developed very effective techniques for pain management.
All of these things, done consistently (especially food and movement) will help you be able to more clearly discern where you are and be able to move forward from that place.
I hope this helps a bit. I appreciate you being here and leaving your question in the comments💗
☺️ thank you for the opportunity to hear other options. I do know I have learned to listen to body regarding activity that helps and what may cause “activity hangovers”.
I am also aging along with an illness which has no cure. I think the aging part may just be the hardest part.
I appreciate the information as well as the recommendations. I know and appreciate the time you spent replying to my very long questions and comments. From reading replies you receive from people who know you, it is quite obvious how kind, caring and loving you truly are.
Appreciate you and am so very pleased to have met you here.
Thank you so much.
PDM
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
Thank you so much Pamela, I am so glad you are here.
Good work cousin. Love reading your work.
Thank you so much!! xoxoxo
My daily steps include looking for ways to reduce my physical pain levels and thereby improve the quality of my sleep. Im also slowly moving towards new daily goals and habits to increase my physical strength. I’d like to add more movement in the form of dancercize as well. Thx for your post!
Tammy, it is so lovely to see you here in my comments section! It's amazing how decreasing pain and better sleep go together and the neurology involved. Having goals to get stronger will help with both of those. Dancercize will be awesome! It helps so many things, an amazing mood booster as well. I kind of make up my own dancercize (no one else would be able to follow along, haha!)
Wishing you well with these amazing goals💕
Pure gold, Donna! Thank you! Although it seems like common sense now, I hadn't thought of the importance of energy levels in implementing change. But of course that's a HUGE factor! With my commitment to invoke comfort in 2023, among other things, I began aligning with circadian rhythms (essentially living in harmony with the sun cycle) and it has been a massive game changer as far as my energy levels. But now I'm also going to add smiling at myself and a few other gems. ♥️
It's something how our circadian rhythms get discombobulated. Well done getting yours on track, that's super valuable. The smiling at ourselves trick is amazing. Also looking deep into our own eyes - a surprisingly difficult and very powerful thing (or it was for me).