You Can’t Do Everything, But You Can Do Something.

With Fibromyalgia and other chronic pain you can’t always do everything you want, and we will always be limited in what we can do, but there is always something you can do instead – always an alternative.

While you may not be able to go to the amusement park with your friends/ family because the rides will hurt too much or because you can’t be on your feet all day or maybe it’s an all day thing that you can’t do or for whatever other reason, there are other things you can you. Maybe you can go mini-golfing with friends instead. Still a social activity, still something physical, still something fun and still hanging out with your friends. If that’s still outside of your wheelhouse, try just going out for a drink even just coffee to get out and be with those you love. If you are bedridden, why not a virtual chat?

You can apply this to all other aspects of your life. Certain things you can not do and may never be able to do again, but there are always things you can do.

Run the Dishwasher Twice

Author Unknown

“When I was at one of my lowest (mental) points in life, I couldn’t get out of bed some days. I had no energy or motivation and was barely getting by.

I had therapy once per week, and on this particular week I didn’t have much to ‘bring’ to the session. He asked how my week was and I really had nothing to say.

“What are you struggling with?” he asked.
I gestured around me and said “I dunno man. Life.”

Not satisfied with my answer, he said “No, what exactly are you worried about right now? What feels overwhelming? When you go home after this session, what issue will be staring at you?”

I knew the answer, but it was so ridiculous that I didn’t want to say it.

I wanted to have something more substantial.Something more profound.But I didn’t.

So I told him, “Honestly? The dishes. It’s stupid, I know, but the more I look at them the more I CAN’T do them because I’ll have to scrub them before I put them in the dishwasher, because the dishwasher sucks, and I just can’t stand and scrub the dishes.”

What feels overwhelming today? Is it the dishes?
It usually is for me!

I felt like an idiot even saying it. 

What kind of grown-ass woman is undone by a stack of dishes? There are people out there with *actual* problems, and I’m whining to my therapist about dishes?

But, my therapist nodded in understanding and then said: “RUN THE DISHWASHER TWICE.”

I began to tell him that you’re not supposed to, but he stopped me.

“Why the hell aren’t you supposed to? If you don’t want to scrub the dishes and your dishwasher sucks, run it twice. Run it three times, who cares?! Rules do not exist, so stop giving yourself rules.”

It blew my mind in a way that I don’t think I can properly express.

That day, I went home and tossed my smelly dishes haphazardly into the dishwasher and ran it three times.

I felt like I had conquered a dragon.

The next day, I took a shower lying down.
A few days later, I folded my laundry and put it wherever the f**k they fit.

There were no longer arbitrary rules I had to follow, and it gave me the freedom to make accomplishments again.

Now that I’m in a healthier place, I rinse off my dishes and put them in the dishwasher properly. I shower standing up. I sort my laundry.

But, at a time when living was a struggle instead of a blessing, I learned an incredibly important lesson:
THERE ARE NO RULES.
RUN THE DISHWASHER TWICE!!!”