I’ve been doing some reflection of late on my priorities as I move into the second half of my life – OK I’m planning on becoming a centenarian but in the real actuarial world I’m way past the halfway mark. So I’m an optimist. There are worse things.
As I look forward, I’m trying to be intentional about what I focus on and how I spend my time. I frequently think about the Annie Dillard quote, ‘How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.’ When I was struggling with ME/CFS and finally on the right path to unraveling the clues to my own version of ME/CFS, I constantly thought about conserving my energy. Nowadays, in the ME/CFS community, we frequently talk about the energy envelope and how to carefully protect and nurture our energy progress.
What I think we miss in that approach is the opportunity to look forward and make intentional choices about how we will thoughtfully expend what energy we DO have. And not to empty it out. But to be aware of the choices we are making about how we spend our precious energy reserves and how that fits in with our longer term goals unrelated to our being in the midst of struggling with a cruel disease.
I realize that looking beyond the near future is tough for an ME/CFS patient but I think that it can add value and resolve to the work of getting back to health. Do you think about how you’re spending your available energy in terms of what you want to be focusing on once you’re well? Can intentionally using even a small amount of energy in that direction allay some of your frustration with thinking you’re wasting time? Please COMMENT on this blog or Send in your thoughts and I’ll post them with your permission. You can use the Contact Form or send an email to Martha at DefeatCFS dot net. And Guest Blogs are most welcome!
Look for a weekly posting on Tuesdays. And consider being part of the conversation.
Be Well Again,
Martha
As I look forward, I’m trying to be intentional about what I focus on and how I spend my time. I frequently think about the Annie Dillard quote, ‘How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.’ When I was struggling with ME/CFS and finally on the right path to unraveling the clues to my own version of ME/CFS, I constantly thought about conserving my energy. Nowadays, in the ME/CFS community, we frequently talk about the energy envelope and how to carefully protect and nurture our energy progress.
What I think we miss in that approach is the opportunity to look forward and make intentional choices about how we will thoughtfully expend what energy we DO have. And not to empty it out. But to be aware of the choices we are making about how we spend our precious energy reserves and how that fits in with our longer term goals unrelated to our being in the midst of struggling with a cruel disease.
I realize that looking beyond the near future is tough for an ME/CFS patient but I think that it can add value and resolve to the work of getting back to health. Do you think about how you’re spending your available energy in terms of what you want to be focusing on once you’re well? Can intentionally using even a small amount of energy in that direction allay some of your frustration with thinking you’re wasting time? Please COMMENT on this blog or Send in your thoughts and I’ll post them with your permission. You can use the Contact Form or send an email to Martha at DefeatCFS dot net. And Guest Blogs are most welcome!
Look for a weekly posting on Tuesdays. And consider being part of the conversation.
Be Well Again,
Martha
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