As Spoonies (people living with chronic illness,) we tend to internalize our feelings. We may feel like others don’t care to listen or others view us as being complainers, so we choose to go through our emotions alone.

The thing about doing this is that we find ourselves ready to explode at some point. That frightens us as well.

Will we break out in tears?

Will we lash out at someone?

Will we disconnect from the world?

Really, what will we do?!

The truth is, we truly have no idea what we will do, but we do know whatever it is, is coming!

Tonight, I openly say I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I don’t care about shedding tears and showing emotion. I’m being #transparent and sharing so I’m not lashing out at a soul! I haven’t disconnected from the world either.

What I am doing is screaming and that is quite alright! I am entitled just as you are!!! We are human and I’m not ashamed of it. Periodt!

I encourage you to do whatever works for you as long as it is safe!! It is more than okay to be tired of being sick! Let’s scream together!!!!🗣🗣🗣🗣💜💜💜💜

#sick #lupus #lupusflare #lupusawareness #lupuswarrior #lupusfighter #lupusadvocate #spoonie #spoonielife #spooniesupport #spoonies #spooniefamily #spoonielove #spooniesisterhood #spooniecommunity #fibromyalgia #fibromyalgiaawareness #potssyndrome #autoimmunedisease #chronicillness #chronicpain #angelslupusjourney #chronicfatiguesyndrome #chronicfatigue #chronicpainwarrior #chronicfatiguesyndromeawareness #transparency

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As Spoonies (those who struggle with chronic illness,) we often face anxiety and/or depression. This may be a result of a gambit of things.

*Loneliness

*Fear of judgement and the unknown

*Inability to go places or do simple task

*Loss of jobs, functionality relationships, and independence

*Impatience and non understanding from others, near and far

And the list goes on!

No matter the cause, we have to find things to ease our minds and give us comfort. We need to feel a sense of accomplishment.

While there are many things you can do to change your focus, today I want to talk about pets.

Personally, Murphy helps me more than anyone could ever imagine. I am not alone with him by my side. He loves me regardless of anything and I have learned him so there is minimum unknown. Caring for him gives me a sense of empowerment and independence as he depends on me to take him out, feed him, love on him, etc. He understands that when I lay down it’s time to take a nap. He gets me and he has been a Godsend! Mentally, his presence is calming and he is a great asset to my life.

Do you view your pets as therapeutic?

Food For thought!!!

#sick #lupus #lupusflare #lupusawareness #lupuswarrior #lupusfighter #lupusadvocate #spoonie #spoonielife #spooniesupport #spoonies #spooniefamily #spoonielove #spooniesisterhood #spooniecommunity #fibromyalgia #fibromyalgiaawareness #potssyndrome #autoimmunedisease #chronicillness #chronicpain #angelslupusjourney #chronicfatiguesyndrome #chronicfatigue #chronicpainwarrior #chronicfatiguesyndromeawareness #transparent #therapeutic

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As I lay in the bed healing, yet feeling poorly, I began to think about how short life is. Someone somewhere did not wake up this morning. Someone somewhere is taking their last breath in this moment as we continue to breathe.

Angel’s Wings of Wisdom: Don’t take for granted that you woke up, you still have some mobility of your limbs, you still are able to see since your reading this right now. Take a breath and be thankful.

If you have ought with someone try to mend it! Be sure to forgive. Forgiveness is more for you than the person who has betrayed you. Holding on to the hurt, anger, pain, etc. currupts your days and prohibits your ability to move on. Don’t allow the problems from yesterday determine your today! Forgive!

Tomorrow is not promised so as I lay here, I’m going to celebrate the opportunity of today!!! Won’t you join the celebration????💜💜💜

#sick #lupus #lupusflare #lupusawareness #lupuswarrior #lupusfighter #lupusadvocate #spoonie #spoonielife #spooniesupport #spoonies #spooniefamily #spoonielove #spooniesisterhood #spooniecommunity #fibromyalgia #fibromyalgiaawareness #potssyndrome #autoimmunedisease #chronicillness #chronicpain #angelslupusjourney #chronicfatiguesyndrome #chronicfatigue #chronicpainwarrior #chronicfatiguesyndrome

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🗣🗣🗣PSA: Everything that glitters isn’t gold. Social media gives all people whole and broken a platform to share with the world what they CHOOSE to share. Just because he/she is done up on FB/IG/SC/Twitter etc. doesn’t mean their lives are just as done up as it appears.

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That car that she was standing by was a client’s car she asked to wash to get a few dollars.That nice watch was the only real accessory he owns and his deceased grandfather passed it on to him. She is smiling because someone walked up to her and gave her a hug and that was the first hug she has received in months. You see, you can’t see all of the heartbreak, pain, anxiety, abuse, sickness, brokenness, etc. for all the filters and apps he/she has put on that pic from the phone that was given to them with 20 min on it to keep in touch with their loved ones.

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You never know what is going on in someone’s life. Look beyond the picture!!! Check on them if you care about them!!! Intercede on their behalf!!! Never assume someone’s circumstance!!!!! Everyone has a story!!! Everyone has a little hell in their lives. Who’s brave enough to say I do???🙋🏽‍♀️

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What’s behind the picture????

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A fervent believer in the most high who is a healer, provider, protector, deliverer,etc. A faithful follower of the King of Kings, the Lily of the valley, the Bright and Morning Star!!! A HUMAN who is scared, sick and tired of being sick and tired, and needs encouragement at times just like the next person!!!

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What’s behind your picture?????

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#Transparency #LupusWarrior #Human #sick #lupus #lupusflare #lupusawareness #lupuswarrior #lupusfighter #lupusadvocate #spoonie #spoonielife #spooniesupport #spoonies #spooniefamily #spoonielove #spooniesisterhood #spooniecommunity #fibromyalgia #fibromyalgia

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Disclaimer: Long post, but I hope it helps someone!

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A Lupie Sister shared recently that no matter how she may make Lupus look, it is still very hard.

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This is so true, not just for Lupus, but for a lot of illnesses or even turmoil going on in your life. We have a tendency to smile to hide the pain, hurt, despair, loneliness, depression, anxiety, etc. This is our nature! We are built Ford tough; however, it is easier to smile and hide than to speak out and say how we are truly feeling. We don’t want pity, negative attention or to be judged so we put on our masks as a defense mechanism.

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Let me start the unmasking! My truth: I have been struggling hard lately health-wise both physically and mentally! I started a new regimen that depletes my energy as well as causes nausea and pain. I have been truly tired of being sick and tired. I have asked God for just 5 mins out of a day to relieve all pain. I have been very low. I am a firm believer in God and I not only sing his praises, but I also preach his word. I know what the word says and although I am leaning and depending on God, believing his teachings, recognizing the miraculous things he has done and realizing he can and will do it again, I am still human and will have valley moments. No one is exempt, Christians or not, from experiencing valleys.

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The Good News 🌈: Just as inevitable as it is that we all will have valleys, it’s also inevitable that we will have mountains. Trouble doesn’t last always. This too shall pass. We woke up so there is another opportunity to have a better day! We may have fallen, but we will rise again. The Bible teaches us that the righteous man fell 7 times, but he got back up.

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On this Worship Wednesday, I give all praise, glory and honor to God for this brand new day with brand new mercies. I also thank God for each of you. Let’s use this opportunity for a new day to love on each other without pity, negativity and judgement!💜💜💜

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#sick #lupus #lupusflare #lupusawareness #lupuswarrior #lupusfighter #lupusadvocate #spoonie #spoonielife #spooniesupport #spoonies #spooniefamily #spoonielove #spooniesisterhood #spooniecommunity #fibromyalgia #fibromyalgia

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Life consists of ups and downs; highs and lows. It is inevitable to have both hills and valleys; sunshine and rain. We can’t hide or run from it. We can’t duck or dodge it either. Every single person on this earth will have good and bad days. This is life and not a fairytale.

With that being said, we have a choice of how we will handle our highs and lows. Will we think we are invincible on our good days and take them for granted or will be humble and thankful for every good moment we have? Will we succumb to our bad days and allow them to break us and take us out?

Whether good or bad, we have the opportunity to decide how we will set the tone of our lives and handle all of our days.

Don’t get me wrong, some days are just so bad that you want to throw in the towel, but what would that accomplish? We could wallow in self pity, but what good would that do? We can isolate ourselves from the world, but what would that change?

When you think of it like this, it should help you realize the fate of your day and the fabric of your life is controlled by you. We know the lows, valleys, rain, bad days will inevitably come and we also know they will end. They may not end when we want them to, but they will end and just as we knew the bad days were coming, we also know the good days are coming too!

Let me make it plain! However you decide to handle your bad days will either positively or negatively impact your life. If you allow yourself to give up on your bad days, you won’t make it to your good days. If you only choose to see the negative on your bad days, you won’t be able to recognize a good day even if it hit you in your face because of the negative lenses you chose to wear.

The choice is yours!

I don’t know about you, but I try to handle my bad days with extra care, searching and grasping onto whatever positive I can, so I can in turn reach and be able to enjoy my good days!!! I am thankful for each good day realizing it is a blessing some aren’t even experiencing in that moment!!!

How do you choose to handle your days?

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How can something you can’t see control your life? How can something you can’t see determine your actions? How can something you can’t see make decisions for you?

You can’t see it, but it’s impact is life changing. It’s impact manages your days, relationships, your feelings, etc. It’s impact determines how you are perceived and viewed.

It’s hard for anyone to understand your decisions. It’s hard for people to understand your emotions. It’s hard for your friends and family to accept your absences or your many changes to the plan. It’s hard for the world to understand your silence and your distant moments.

You look like everyone else. You appear to have more energy than the next person. Your smile brightens up the days of everyone you come in contact with. Your laughter is contagious. You can keep up with the best of them. Your determination supersedes one’s expectation and you accomplish many things people spend their lives trying to do.

What do you mean living is hard and you struggle daily? What do you mean you are never in control of yourself? What do you mean I am suppose to realize you are different and have to live life accordingly?

I just don’t understand all of this. It doesn’t make sense and I need a clear explanation of what you are speaking of.

You see, I live daily with an invisible disease that determines what my days, even minutes look like. You can’t see the disease because it’s internal, but it’s a force to be reckoned with. This monster of a disease decides when it wants to show its ugly head and how hard it wants to roar. It controls my every decision and makes changes to my every move.

You can’t see it, but it’s there and I sure do feel it every day of my life. The invisible monster is real and it is our job to educate others about it.

As invisible disease awareness week comes to an end, don’t stop sharing how your invisible monster impacts your life. The world will have a better understanding because you chose to use your voice.

My invisible monsters are Lupus, POTS and fibromyalgia. What are yours????

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