Hi Friend.
How are you feeling these days and how are you dealing with life and chronic illness?
One of the things I have noticed is that there is always something new to adapt, accept and deal with or at least, that's how life with chronic illness is for me.
Last weekend I took myself away for 3 nights to a beautiful cottage in the Dandenong Ranges with lots of tall trees, green ferns and the colours of Autumn all around.
It was also my first time away with type 1 diabetes so in a sense, it was a whole new experience for me.
The place where I stay is very special to me, as it was the first place I went to after chronic illness changed my life.
I needed a safe place with a kitchen where I could make my own food, close enough to home that I could make the drive and somewhere quiet, peaceful and surrounded by nature.
When you have been bed and couch bound for a long time, the world can feel like such a big, daunting place with so many new fears that you didn't have before so doing something as seemingly simple as having a few days away from home, seems to take so much preparation!
Having to take my blood glucose monitor, glucose tablets and insulin pens on my walks around the botanical gardens was something I had to adapt to.
I took myself for a big 2 hour walk which created feelings of anxiety at being so far away on foot in case I had a blood sugar crisis, but I used my tools, reassured myself, stopped and took a blood check and had a little chocolate to help me on my way.
I reminded myself often to stop, look and just be.
Listen to the sound of the creek.
Take in the green and the songs of the birds.
Remind myself that I am here and alive and present to all of the beauty around me and not to be afraid.
This was so important because the biggest thing we face on a daily basis is fear and fear and chronic illness go hand in hand, all day, every day.
Fear robs you of any joy. Fear kills any hope and trust in the future.
Fear takes you away from the present moment and into scary stories of all of the horrible things that could happen to you and your life and your relationships.
Every new challenge, every new symptom, every new diagnosis brings a whole new level of fear and if you let it, fear will stop you from doing anything at all.
Fear can take over your life, bringing with it anxiety, depression, hopelessness and overwhelm but there is a way to deal with it and keep it at bay and these are all skills that anyone can learn.
Honestly Friend, if I didn't have these skills, I could easily fall into fear and have focussed on all the things that could go wrong and have deprived myself of a glorious 3 days that I so needed because fear would have convinced me that it was so much safer to just stay home.
I chose to trust myself, trust my body, feel the fear and do it anyway because life is short and I want to enjoy everything that is available to me right now.
I went for drives on winding roads and explored new places. I saw wild deer and birds and lots of beautiful trees.
I curled up in a cozy chair next to the fire at night and read and relaxed in the hot tub with my blood sugar monitor and glucose tablets nearby, just in case the hot water sent me low.
Going away for those 3 nights felt like taking a great, big step back into my life and that felt so very good indeed.
So Friend, if you feel ready to get the skills to overcome your fears, eliminate your anxiety and make the most of your life right now, then book your FREE Discovery Session with me now.
You don't have to do this alone and I would love to help you overcome your fears and step fully into your life again.
Hugs
Kerry
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