Did you recently have a great day, so you decided to take a shower, see friends, and grocery shop all on the same day?
When you were feeling great, maybe you even thought to yourself.. "eh.. it looks like I have beat this. I am feeling better!"
But then…you crashed the next day(s) and felt guilty.
You would then ask yourself: "Is this all in my head? What's going on? Maybe I should try pushing through this. I'm probably just overreacting."
This seesaw way of life is one of the most frustrating things about dealing with chronic illnesses.
It makes progressing at exercise and other lifestyle factors very difficult as it gets in the way of consistency.
What's the solution? Pacing.
What is pacing? Just rest?
1. Pacing is about achieving a balance in life. It's doing what you can with the energy you have without going over. It's knowing what you do today will affect you tomorrow.
2. Pacing involves everything in life. Not just physical rest. Watching tv takes energy, as does talking on the phone or being on social media. We often think of these as restful activities, but they are not.
3. Pacing decisions are often made on good days. But the challenge is that it's on the good days that you tend to overdo. On bad days it's easier because you know that you need to rest as your body is too unwell.
In my work with clients, one of the things we do is look at the daily patterns. The first step is awareness.
What takes away your energy, and what gives you energy?
How do you rest?
How is your day structured, and what can change for optimum balance throughout the day and the week?
What are the patterns between certain behaviors, activities, and certain symptoms? What are your triggers?
If you're finding yourself stuck in this vicious cycle of activity followed by a crash and want personalized support with setting up a stable, balanced routine, click here to set up a coaching session with me.
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