Best day or experience since starting the program

I've been working my way gradually through the structured educational program and I'm now on day 39, where the "question to ponder" is what your best day or experience has been since starting the program. I love this question and would love to hear others' responses too!

The first experience that popped to mind for me really surprised me. It was an experience from a few weeks ago, when I showed up at an activism event that involved a lot more walking than I had expected, more walking than I'd done in one spurt since the onset of my TMS. I felt really strongly about the importance of following through on my commitment to participate, so I went for it despite my fears. It turned out that I was there too early and had to leave before the event even started, so I had done all that walking "for no reason." Usually I'm very goal oriented, so that would typically really frustrate me. But on that day I realized that the true accomplishment was facing my fear and not letting it hold me back. A big win for me!

My other favorites all have to do with my kids - like wrestling with my 4 year old, and allowing my 6 year old to leap up and wrap himself around me in a big hug - activities I previously avoided due to pain and fear, but I could finally enjoy again!

Please share yours if you like!!

 

Hi moon123 - this is so wonderful to hear - congratulations!

I did most of my recovery work almost exactly six years ago, in the fall of 2011, and the experience that stands out, the one that really "wowed" me, is an incident related to depression that I wrote about here: http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/bookmarks/608/view-item (Bookmark | TMS Forum (The Mindbody Syndrome))
That was the day it really hit home that I have the power to completely change my mind about what I am feeling and experiencing. I use that power all the time! Sometimes it's still hard, because my brain wants so desperately to hold on to negativity - but as soon as I remember that it has an agenda that is doing me harm, it's easier to make the necessary shift, and to climb out of that hole.

 

@moon123 So great that you've had these experiences! Mine was the day I decided to go jogging. I don't even like to run; I just wanted to say screw you to the pain the limitations. I didn't go very far, but have since gone a little farther each time. I usually walk around a small lake nearby in about 2o minutes. Now with the run/walking combination, I can make it in just over 8 minutes. My goal is to be able to run the whole way. I time probably won't change, as I run pretty slowly, but the milestone will be there just the same. And it's nice to have a physical goal! The others have been mental--not getting uptight and causing pain about an event or interaction and how I would perform or be perceived and instead, having confidence. This was equally rewarding. Congratulations again!

 

Moon123, My best day/experience I was about 10 days into the structual program and I noticed some pain relief. I wanted to test myself went to the backyard and built a new deck! I was lifting heavy beams, bending and twisting my body in every way possible. I was outside all day and I realized I was in zero pain. I woke up the next day thinking I would be in a huge amount of pain. I woke up then next morning with less pain then pain before I starting building that deck. I cried. I knew the solution was close and I knew it was TMS. After that another great day came when I picked up running. With every run the next day I had less and less pain until the day I woke up after a run and there was zero pain. I cried again.