Recent content by Cactusflower

Patty Cakes: Have you searched to see if you have a Caregiver Resource Center in your state? There is one in my state and it has a few centers with caregiver support groups but also hosts weekly virtual groups. There are other groups that meet through our County social services network, VITAS...

I think we're trained to think "positive" in a false way. We also tend to think in negative "what if's". What If: I can handle it? That is actually a positive what if and a positive thought without being false and fake nice. Similarly to goodism and people pleasing - we're taught they are...

Dr. Les Aria has other ways to describe self-soothing and compassion. He's one of my favorite proponents of the mind/body connection blending self compassion, emotional presence and Pain Reprocessing. @BloodMoon mentions doing this in small bites, and Les offers a lot of different techniques to...

Funny how that pain returns when you return back to the "grind" of daily life. I went on a trip a few weeks ago. Had the BEST time, and did a lot of walking although not any other kind of excercise. Felt great. Came home and.... you know the score!

“Maybe a little. I guess Ive been hard on myself for neglecting my body and resulting in my current situation. And Im always hard on myself for not being as successful as i would like. But mostly I just feel bad for what Ive done to my body.” This is being really hard on yourself. “Im...

Consider that it actually might not be uncertainty you are afraid of, but the fear itself. Fear is a double edged sword, and some of us feel it, some of us THINK it. The ultimate goal is to allow ourselves to feel it as an emotion and let it pass through us. If we hang on and cling to the fear...

“Are you having success at recognizing the emotions connected to your pain? If you have, how do these emotions make you feel? If not, what do you think is preventing you from doing this?” “Hmm I dont know that I am finding a direct correlation to moments of pain and a specific emotion” Here is...

"After typing all of this I'm still not sure if this is a real injury or not." That is a bunch of hampster wheel mind chuff that you don't need to worry about. What does it matter? Truthfully - either way, compassion and patience is what you know is in your best interest. Trying to force...

"I am though of the opinion that anxiety and stressing over things tends to make most things worse" @BloodMoon I also believe this is correct, and Dr. David Hanscom talks a lot about the chemical (hormones) ways our body can respond to stress and anxiety, and the effect it can have on systems...

"I can't say that's what's happening with you, because I obviously don't know. I just wonder whether there might be something in the distinction between having lots of enjoyable things in your life and being comfortable when there is nothing to distract you. For me, learning to be with myself...

@GTfan I think today might be a great day for some self-compassion! You jammed your wrist, broke a hand just a little over 6 weeks ago, and then now you've been hitting 100 balls and swimming! That is a LOT especially if you broke something and didn't use it for awhile and have not done any...

Thank-you @Recoverytime2024! Like you I'm kind of on a hamster wheel of symptoms, perhaps symptom imperatives (I don't have anyone to assure me this is the case or not - I just try and get myself in this mindset that the pain is all STRESS from somewhere) and true medical issues. I think your...

Hey @JoeyCongo Sounds like you understand your fears, and you know what to do. Watch the self-pressure to "fix" and "heal", they key is to have understanding and empathy/compassion. Remember that sometimes we do have real things that we need to address and that it's our reaction to the fear...

My only comment to your beautiful self exploration is that every time you think things like you do not feel like a victim or have done it all.. open that door and check in that closet. We all have stuff we hide from ourselves and it’s not digging through every treasure chest that uncovers gold...

There are some people who find themselves experiencing physical symptoms and sensations, and some that (also) experience other symptoms which have been found related to TMS - anxiety, depression and also some states of mind as I like to call them: negativity or anger. Now the anger I'm talking...