Did you remember to wish yourself a happy Valentines Day? During chronic illness, we have got to remember to love on ourselves, a bunch. On this Valentines Day, my hope is that everyone who is chronically ill gives themselves some extra loving!!! Then, I hope each and every one of you reach out to someone else who may need encouragement, just because it is a loving thing to do. Let’s see who ends up feeling loved on Valentines Day. Gotta roll with what we have (not with what we don’t have).
How To Roll With Valentines Day
Step 1 – Gain momentum
Step 2 – Keep rolling
Love On Yourself – Gain Momentum
Love lessons of chronic illness = Love on yourself first so you have something to give to others.
Doesn’t the flight attendants remind us on EVERY single flight that we have to put on our oxygen masks before our children’s? We are of no use to others if we do not take care of ourselves.
Stop everything. Say something kind, something very loving to yourself. You might even want to write yourself a love note. Seriously!! When was the last time you received a sincere love note? You might as well do it yourself. It is harder than you would think to do it. So if all you can come up with is a nice loving thought about yourself, that is okay. But ya gotta do it. Seriously, stop and say something very loving to yourself.
I know chronic illness can be a time of intense loneliness and broken relationships. Maintain a love relationship with yourself! No matter how ill you are, no matter how bad the situation appears, YOU are worthy of love.
Love On Others – Keep Rolling With It
One of you called me early this morning to wish me a happy Valentines Day. Surprised at how early she was up and calling, I inquired…
She has been chronically ill for almost 2 decades now. It has been a struggle and a half, as all of you with chronic illness know. Last night she set her alarm to get up early (no matter how little sleep she would get from another restless night of illness). She had a loving plan!!
First, she wished her husband a happy Valentines Day. Then she called her precious mama who is also chronically ill. Then she went through her list of people she wanted to love on and just give a quick call and say HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!
I received one of those calls this morning. What a treat. Not only did she love on me but I could hear her brave attempt at making the very best out of the day. I know her very well and she really was not feeling up to it but she was doing it. Not just talking about it, she was doing it. With all the effort that it took her to work her way through the project that was physically exhausting to her, she stuck with it and got errrr done!!
That victory hopefully made her day while it was definitely making the days of the recipients, like me.
There are a lot of chronically ill people. Most are lonely, many are scared. You know what it is like to be chronically ill. Reach out to someone else today and wish them a very happy Valentine’s Day. You can do that from bed. If my really ill, totally exhausted friend can muster it up, you can too. You don’t need to take on a whole list like she did. Pick ONE single person to reach out to.
The reward will most likely land on you too. It feels good to give to others. The warm fuzzies going both directions will reduce your stress load for the moment. It will help calm you both which allows your body to consider healing!!!!
May all of you be blessed today for Valentines Day!
Keep rolling through chronic illness, right through every holiday and every obstacle.
Cycology = psychology on wheels
Rolling through chronic illness the very best we can!!
