Building bridges between mind and body...

My favourite advice when I get stuck with something is from the wonderful and inspiring Dalai Lama:

There is always a solution to a problem. You just may not like the solution.

I have been in a dip - apparently - for about 2 months now. Unfortunately, it took me nearly that long to work this out. And of course, as I write down what happened it all looks so obvious - now.

In short, I got a bug and didn’t take enough extra care of myself. I thought I had recovered okay from it. (I expect my body to bounce back like a well body, which I know may sound a bit crazy.) We went off on our Baltic Adventure, which I thought was just the distraction I needed, but by the end of the trip I was struggling - I guess it was just a step too far at that time. And I haven’t really got my energy groove back since.

But I didn’t really piece all this together until a couple of weeks ago. I know - slow. I just kept thinking ‘oh, I’ll be okay tomorrow!’ And before I knew it a couple of months had passed and tomorrow never came.

I seemed quite surprised to discover that pushing my body for two months had not worked. I don’t think I even realised that was what I was doing. I had got so used to a certain level of energy and I just hadn’t realised my body needed something different.

So I have done the difficult task of accepting I am in a dip. I have faced my anger and frustration: I can’t believe I am in this situation again. I was doing so well. Blah. Blah. Blah. And I know the Dalai Lama is right - of course! - there is a solution.

So I have asked myself, what has worked for me before? I now the first step is to keep my mind calm. (Stressing about dipping ain’t helping anyone.) My body may not want to play ball at the moment but I can work on my mind. And I KNOW that the quickest way out of this dip is to be kind to myself, to relax and to minimise stress; to put my body in a healing state

I am using all my NLP techniques; I had a wonderful hypnotherapy session last week on nurturing and moving forward; I am using my hypnosis CDs; I am meditating; I am also using visualisation techniques, visualising times when I have had good energy. (It’s so much fun lying on the sofa under the fur cover imagining myself running along the beach.)

I appear to be spending huge chunks of my day talking out loud to myself. As a negative, or a self limiting, or unhelpful thought pops into my head (this is so hard, I feel so awful, I'm never going to get anything done, I just can’t do this...) I am saying STOP, STOP, STOP and re phrasing it with a more nurturing, positive thought:

I CAN do this.

This situation is TEMPORARY

I will be OKAY.

I know it’s hard but I CAN do it.

I am listening to recovery stories and I am seeking advice from people who have got themselves out of dips. I am also pacing more, breaking activities up with more rest and mixing up activities to make the most of my limited energy.

I am not pushing myself to exercise (just gentle walks if I am up to it, some gentle yoga and standing on my vibrating plate – long story. I have to take minimal steps to keep Chronic Flabby Syndrome at bay or I’ll be really stressed.)

The biggest challenge for me (apart from the obvious not feeling well part) is the boredom factor. I am struggling to read or write much and there is only so much hypnosis and meditation a girl can do. So it is difficult to fill my time without ending up watching too much TV, which is enough to push anyone over the edge.

But I am trying to see the time as a period for nurturing, as a time for me to give back to my body, as a time to learn and reflect; I know that sometimes I expect far too much of myself. And the greatest thing about this dip is I know I CAN get out of it; I have been a lot better this year so I know my body CAN do it.

The Dalai Lama is right, I do not like the solution in any way shape or form. Planning to do less feels like giving in, like I am being self limiting. But I am 'manning up' and facing the rather loud M.E. music that I have been trying so hard to ignore for the last couple of months, trusting that with this new approach I will come out of this dip very soon (early signs are very encouraging).

And I know I have a winning formula: Me, the Dalai Lama and a sprinkle of faith, what else does a girl need? Well, apart from a good cry and some chocolate every now and then. No one ever said a winning formula was easy to implement.

What do you do when the going gets tough? (M.E. or otherwise.) What's your winning formula? Would love to hear your thoughts...x