“Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.”
~ Lord Byron
It’s ironic that the day after posting about my progress yesterday I found myself back in herxing land. Herxing is a side effect of the lyme bacteria inside me dying off and releasing their toxins as a parting gift.
I haven’t felt this dreadful for a while.
I remind myself that this fever, these aching ears, these swollen glands and runny lopsided eyes, these weird pains and sleeplessness are all good. It’s another sign of progress, even if it doesn’t look very sexy or feel very awesome.
That’s the way it is when we’re committed to something for the long haul. It doesn’t matter what it is; making a marriage work, raising kids, running a business, writing a book, sticking to a fitness program, completing a PhD. There’s going to be down swings. Nothing is all puppy dogs and roses and magical unicorns.
Most things worth having or achieving in life require require work. And sometimes that work will have us down in the pit – shabby, exhausted, cranky and NOT HAVING FUN, but still plodding on, or gritting our teeth and just getting through any way we can.
Who hasn’t been sore after a big session at the gym? Who wasn’t exhausted when their kids were newborns or teething? Who didn’t feel resentful when the weekend rolled around and you were stuck at your desk working or studying while everyone else was out having fun? Who hasn’t argued with someone they love dearly? Who didn’t freak out when they left the security of a job or a relationship to start out on their own?
When we commit to something and stick with it, we build this muscle called resilience. As we ride out the bumps, and push ourselves through the tough bits we change and grow. We build character and inner strength. We learn to depend on ourselves, and we find out what we’re made of.
Of course it helps to stay motivated, and to remind yourself of why you’re doing this thing. And it also helps to remind yourself how far you’ve come.
Remember: Remind yourself it will be worth it!
Today I am reading back over my progress, and reassuring myself that days like this are becoming fewer, and my goal is on a horizon I can actually see now, rather than some mythic far-off land which may or may not exist. I’m schlurping up a spoonful of tough-it-out and another of things-are-actually-measurably-better. I’m already feeling better than I did yesterday!
And I’m sending all my love to those of you who are down in the trenches. Take heart. You can do this thing! All power to you. ♥ Nicole xx
PS – I wish I could buy my medicine here…
