My test to find relief in the midst of a serious pain episode
The other day I wrote a blog called, The impact stress and emotions have on our health, where I discussed how stress and our emotional reaction to pain and...
The impact stress and emotions have on our health
20 years ago, I developed a painful neurological movement disorder called dystonia. I was 30 years old at the time. It totally turned my life upside down where I...
“It is what it is” – Part of the recipe for acceptance?
Our response to life events has an undeniable impact on our health I often think of acceptance about anything in life in terms of the saying, “it is what it...
Thanksgiving quotes we can use all year long
I love quotes! Some of them I read or hear and they go in one ear and out the other. Those that really resonate stick with me and help...
Screw this pain! I choose better!
None of us are immune to the challenges of life. At some time or another we all endure tough experiences. Nothing ever prepared me for dystonia and chronic, persistent...
Please don’t judge how someone feels based on appearance
If you have a health condition where you are misunderstood and perhaps judged by others for how you live your life to battle your symptoms, I invite you to...
Nature’s Resilience After a Hurricane: A Metaphor for Life Challenges
I live in North Carolina in the United States where we were recently hit with a very powerful hurricane that caused a lot of damage. Many trees fell on...
Life before and after chronic pain from dystonia changed my entire World
For most of my 21 years with chronic pain and other symptoms from dystonia, I viewed it as a curse; an evil intruder that ruined my life. This perspective...
Problems or opportunities?
Life is filled with endless opportunities. Sometimes the opportunities, or silver lining, are hard to see when we have problems with our health, finances, family, or career, but they...
If you’re in pain, don’t “be positive.” Be honest.
I often hear people with pain and other chronic health conditions say the following: “I am trying to be positive, but it is so hard!” Other people see us...
Please don’t ever take your health for granted
The other day I ran into my oldest niece who will be 28 in a few months. It made me reflect on my life around the same age, which...
Dystonia, chronic pain and the highly sensitive person
This is an update to a blog I wrote a while ago about a personality trait called “Highly Sensitive Person.” It often comes up as a popular topic due...
When anxiety attacks
If you suffer with anxiety, you know just how crippling it can be. Anxiety is actually a natural response to our environment that is designed to protect us from...
