These are the activities I’ve started doing because of Fibromyalgia, with a little bit on why I’m doing them, and how it’s going.
Daily exercise — Because I have mild-to-moderate Fibro, I can usually manage physically activity, though I have to monitor it carefully. Overdoing it can be brutal. On really good days, I run or use the rower. On okay days, I walk. When it’s hard, I stretch for 45 minutes, which is something I need to do anyway. It helps me mentally and it makes me still feel like I’ve got a physical self. I made a commitment to do something every day this year and from January 1, that’s happened.
Bible Devotional — To be fair, I did this before the diagnosis, but it’s more important now. God ordained or allowed this, and that means there’s a purpose to it. This helps me remember that purpose. This journey is not in vain. My prayer life reminds me I’m not allow while dealing with a condition that sometimes generates intense loneliness.
Stoicism — Stoic philosophy has helped me understand that though this condition is difficult, I can’t control it. That frees me from trying and helps me be grateful for what I can do, which is still substantial. This includes the Daily Stoic Podcast, the Daily Stoic book, and the matching journal.
Journaling — In addition to the Daily Stoic Journal, I have a line a day journal I complete every day. It’s one line, usually no more than 25-30 words. It allows me to vent or bitch or celebrate. And it’s just for me.
This Blog — Starting January 1, I made a commitment to blog about this once a day. These messages are primarily for me. They’re things I’ve thought through or need to remind myself. It’s kind of an open-air journal that others can read and maybe get benefit from.
Deep Tissue Massage and Acupuncture — Because of the up-and-down nature of The Fibro, I don’t know if this works. I have a massage therapist who kicks my ass, gives me big round cup hickeys, and has guided me to improve my diet and adopt other approaches I had considered to reduce toxicity and help me eliminate things that aggravate my condition.
Intermittent Fasting— My massage therapist has me aiming for a 14-10 model, where I fast 14 hours a day and confine eating to 10 hours. Most days I manage 16-8 or even 18-6. I’m aiming for a 24-hour fast, because emerging science is starting to indicate it helps with inflammation. Also, I’m gradually cleaning up my diet, but still have some work to do.
Reading more intentionally — I’ll build a list of books that help me manage the mental and emotional load that comes with this condition and reframe it. The best is The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday, about how to live your best when life is challenging. That opened me up to stoic philosophy and a number of other sources to help me condition my mind to get the best of this situation.
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