pain – Page 5 – SUNBEAM ACRES

How to Regulate Your Emotions: 10 Effective Strategies

January 7, 2025 pammunkholm

Though winter is a brittle beast she snows pure soul in flakes so deep.

-Angie Weiland- Crosby

Despite my greatest efforts there are times I react emotionally. People are difficult and life can be challenging. But this reaction takes a toll on the body, mind and spirit. Especially my chronic comrades.

Minimizing Emotional Reactivity

All of us can attempt to minimize the effect emotional reactivity has on us. I do this by engaging in one or more of the following ten activities. In this post I share with you my top ten ways to minimize emotional reactivity.

These can be done in any order and in your own way and timing.

Breathe. Sit with your feelings and just let them hunker down for the moment. Then breathe some more to allow the feelings to pass. The effort of holding back emotions we don’t want to experience is worse than actually sitting with the feeling itself.
Be curious about what you are feeling. Question it. Where is the feeling in my body? What does it feel like? Burning. Stabbing. Twinging. You can even question, why am I feeling this way? See what answers come up.
This is a hard one. Try to look at things with an outside perspective. Stay open minded and be humbly objective. Perhaps there is something you would do differently given that new perspective. Mentally talking this through with yourself can be quite constructive.
Count to 30 before responding. It gives a chance for the nervous system to calm. This way, there is not a sudden action that you will most definitely regret later. It is healthier to act than to react.
I like this one. Practice self compassion and remember that we are all human. Sometimes we get it right and other times we get it wrong. That is part of growth and development. I choose to be in the arena where my life is advancing. And part of being in that arena is winning and losing. We can’t always win.
If you have the opportunity (not always an option in the moment) journal your thoughts, feelings and intentions. This will assist you in weeding out the opinions of others. Bring it down to you and what is happening in your brain.
“Maybe things are going perfectly”. I have shared this favourite mantra of mine before. It is powerful if you are open enough to believe it. These words and the space they create help me see a positive in even the most dire of circumstances. Maybe this disaster needs to happen for something really important to work out.
Do not judge your feelings. Feelings are human. We all have them. It is what we do with them that determines who we are. Be honest with yourself to see more deeply into your emotions. Stand back and notice. Name the feeling or emotion if you can.
Trust the process. (I saw a meme that said: Does the process know we are trusting it? Hehe) This goes along with #6, maybe things are going perfectly. But in this one there is an added belief that your higher power/ life has got you. That this life is for you and eternal success is your inherent right.
Stay in your own energy. As I write this list and this post I am currently in a squabble with my landlord. I am getting a chance to practice this very list. Here is something I am learning to be truly important. When I act true to myself, I can stay out of emotional reactivity. That can be difficult to do around certain personality types. Some people have such a strong energy. It is vital to take time to look inward and find our own energy and act true to that. Bending to the energy of others takes us away from our truth. And into emotional reactivity.

What else would you add to this list? What helps you come down from emotionally charged situations? Add your answer in the comments.

Having emotions is human. They are a fuse box for our individual experience. When tripped they alert us to danger and help us see where we need better boundaries. It is important to notice your emotions.

The next step, that so many people skip, is crucial. Use your logical brain to decide which parts of the emotion fit the facts of the situation. Don’t allow the emotion to take control of the situation. Use that higher part of your brain to determine how you will respond. Emotions do not give us the right to treat others or ourselves poorly.

My Top Ten Ways to Regulate My Nervous System Once I’ve Been Triggered

If, like me, there are still times in your life where you are unsuccessful, don’t worry. Even if all these steps have failed, there is a way back. Here is my top ten list of how to regulate your nervous system once it has been overloaded.

Exercise. If it is an option for you, get moving. To have the greatest effect you will need to get your heart rate up and your sweat on. This is great for any type of detox that your body needs. Including stress.
Listen to music. Up- level by having a playlist on your music app that is for moments like this. Choose soothing songs that speak to you.
Cry! I used to avoid crying. I thought it was weak and embarrassing. But now I understand it is just another way that our body is supporting itself. Crying releases stress.
Cuddle a pet. Animals are so great at accepting us wherever we are. If you don’t have your own pet, go cuddle a friend’s. Animals are generally emotionally regulated (unless that is challenged by their human’s behaviour). So if you allow your energy to shift to theirs you will find yourself coming back to yourself.
Progressive muscle relaxation. If you haven’t heard of this you can google it. Many meditations that I follow use this as a tool. Essentially you tense a muscle group. Starting in your lower extremities and then moving to the top of your head. So starting with your feet. Tense. Hold for a few seconds and then release. Move up to your lower legs. Tense. Hold. Release. And so on. Connect to your body.
Speaking of meditations. This can look different for all of us. It can be sitting quietly and breathing. Praying to connect to your higher power. Or listening to a meditation app. I highly recommend Insight Timer if you are looking for one to try.
Spend time with friends who get it. Maybe that’s family or maybe you need to schedule a day with your besties. I hope you have someone in your life that can let you talk it out. And help you get to the bottom of your emotions. A paid professional is always an option too. I, personally, think that we all need a therapist.
Hug your person. There is something about holding one another heart to heart that provides a space for compassion and healing. Okay so this one isn’t my favourite. But it’s one I’m working on. I see the value of it.
Get enough sleep. This seems silly when there are so many things vying for our time. And likely, you are a grown adult that can go to bed whenever you want. But getting at least 8 hours of sleep at night will greatly improve your chances of recapturing emotional regulation. And a higher probability of keeping it in the future.
I have it here as #10 but it is actually my #1. Can you guess? Forest therapy! Even in the cold of Saskatchewan, there are days and ways to get some nature time in. Bundle up. Pick your spot. And enjoy what nature gives freely. Given enough time, you will regulate your nervous system with forest therapy. If you’d like to learn more, subscribe to the blog and watch for all I have coming in the spring. You can also contact me with any questions about forest therapy. Ask me about how to use it for all types of healing.

These have all worked for me in the past. Sometimes I need to try one or two. Take time to consider what works for you. Perhaps you will need to try a few before your emotions start to fizzle as well.

I mentioned that I would get to how sensory overload is different for my chronic comrades. When our emotions are running high we tend to go into sensory overload. Does this sound familiar to you when you’ve been emotionally triggered?

Unfortunate equation: chronic pain + too much stimuli = more pain. Have you ever been so overwhelmed by seemingly minimal inputs but you can’t explain it to anyone? Like: The lights are on. People are talking. The music is playing on the tv downstairs. My bra is on. I suddenly have too much hair. And my teeth feel weird. What is wrong with you people? Isn’t everyone else suffering from all of this stimuli?

Never fear. All is well. We have a list of ways to avoid being emotionally reactive. We also have a backup list of what to do if those don’t work.

It’s okay to be sensitive. That’s what happens when you have magic in your heart.

-dannys_moments_poetry

That’s it for this week my friends. Take care of yourselves.

Explore Forest Therapy for Fibromyalgia Relief

December 10, 2024 pammunkholm

Fibromyalgia Overview and Symptoms

According to the The Mayo Clinic website, fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain. This pain is accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues.

Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals. More women are affected than men. People with fibro may also have tension headaches, TMJ, IBS, anxiety and depression.

Fibromyalgia is like many other disorders. It is on a spectrum and people can develop varying symptoms to varying degrees. These may include (but are not limited to) fatigue, stomach issues, brain fog, restless legs, painful periods, chronic pain, non restorative sleep, headaches and migraines, poor temperature control, swelling in the feet, poor concentration, dry eyes, rashes and itching, bladder problems, trouble staying alert, stiffness, light, sound and heat sensitivity, pain in the jaw, insomnia and IBS. My worst symptom (other than the burning pain under the skin) is twitching and itchy phantom nerve sensations. I feel them most in my nose and cheeks.

These types of symptoms vary from day to day. This variability makes it hard to answer the question, ‘How are you?’.

Less Known Symptoms

Then there’s the symptoms that are not as recognized for being related to fibromyalgia. Dizziness, weight gain, nausea, sensory issues, debilitating coccyx tail bone pain. Sharp or stabbing, burning or tingling sensation. Muscle spasms, aches, cramps, inability to relax. Intense, deep and gnawing bone pain. Feeling spatially disoriented, balance difficulty, staggering gait, dropping things frequently, not quite seeing what you are looking at, and difficulty judging distances. I don’t like driving at night. I find my light sensitivity and difficulty judging distances makes it challenging. It makes me wonder if that’s the reason I would start running into walls as I got tired when I was younger.

And the cold! My body does not like to get cold. It gets into my bones and takes me a long time to warm up. It makes any existing pain worse and the muscles that were already rigid, tighten up a little more. The cold makes skin hurt. Since our thermostats are always off, our bodies think it is 3x colder than what it actually is. Making living in a cold climate a challenge. Although, Saskatchewan seems to be a particularly poor choice on where to live. My chronic comrades will also understand that energy is limited. The cold siphons whatever you have left out of you. All of which can trigger a flare.

Flares

What else causes pain to flare? Everything! Weather changes, emotions, medication changes, severe fatigue, lack of sleep, sunlight, hormone changes, depression, travelling, anxiety, stress, diet, illness, medical tests, overexertion, illness, doctor’s appointments, medical procedures, lack of activity, temperature, injury, etc.

But that all happens on the insides. There are no indicators on the outside.

I Miss Being Me

And then there is the loss of self. Living with fibro often makes me feel extremely useless. I worry about making plans and then needing to cancel them. I worry that any time I do anything it will cause a flare. I can only handle living life a few hours a day. Within that time I need to fit in my exercise and food and therapies. That leaves little other time to achieve anything. It is difficult not to compare my limited life to those who live a normal number of hours per day. I was a mover and doer before. If there was more left to do I would just stay up and get it done. What is wrong with me? is the question on a never ending loop in my mind. Why am I incapable of pushing through?

I run out of energy long before the list is done. Everyday, forever. I fear being left behind, left out and forgotten because I can’t socialize often. It is lonely and it must be hard for others to see me and remember what I am going through. Because it is invisible. My life is not what I had hoped or planned for it to be.

There is so much waiting for us chronic comrades. Waiting to see a doctor. Waiting for a diagnosis. Waiting for meds to work. Once I knew I had fibromyalgia and had done the research I wondered, what I am waiting for now. This is it. This is fibro. I will never be well again. There is no reason left to hope to get well anymore. This is a depressing thought.

Validation for Chronic Comrades

Do you experience any of these symptoms? I believe you. I know that you are not making it up. I am acquainted with your grief. If we were going to make up an illness, wouldn’t we pick something cool? Or, at the very least, pick something that people would believe?

Forest Therapy as a Tool

This all sounds super doom and gloom. But never fear. Forest therapy is here. Forest therapy has been proven to calm overactive nerves. A key indicator in fibromyalgia.

We know the best medicine has always been what nature gives us. Sunlight, sleep, real food, natural movement and exercise, grounding, meditation, laughter and FORESTS! But there’s no time for such things! we say. Until it’s all we are capable of. Then we come back to what has been best for us all along.

So if we have already blown the fuse, here’s what you need to know: The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs (ANFT) says, “Levels of the stress hormone cortisol decreased in test subjects after a walk in the forest, when compared with a control group of subjects who engaged in walks within a laboratory setting”.

Adds ANFT, “Forest bathing catalyzes increased parasympathetic nervous system activity which prompts rest, conserves energy, and slows down the heart rate while increasing intestinal and gland activity.”

Forest therapy uses immersion in nature through the five senses to help soothe frayed nerves. Frayed nerves are present in fibro. If we can calm them, it will bring our overall stress down. This reduction in stress supports our ability to manage this lifelong illness.

Forest therapy helps restore a sense of mental well-being as well.. It has even been shown to boost our immune systems. This practice can help us recover faster from physical maladies. And manage our chronic illness.

The modern forest therapy movement is rooted in the Shinrin-yoku “forest bathing” practice. This practice was developed in Japan in the 1980s. It has since become a central part of preventative health care and healing in Japanese medicine.

Should we be doing more of the same in western society? I think so!

I am waiting again. But for good things. I have hope in good things to come despite my chronic illness. I know I am developing the tools that will help me not only survive but thrive. I don’t need to compare myself to others. I am building my next self. She is strong and courageous and she knows how to support others.

If you enjoyed the post or if you think you know someone that could benefit from it please like, share or subscribe.

If you’re going through hell, keep going. Why would you stop in hell?

-Steve Harvey

Finding Strength in Nature During Winter

December 3, 2024 pammunkholm

I have loved her my little wanderer, with a mind full of wild forests and eyes that await adventures.

-Connie Cernik

We Are Nature

Have you ever considered how closely connected we are to nature? We have only to look at the pictures below to tap into that relationship. What does this awareness do for our psyche through the months of snow? Darkness and cold are the norm in places like Saskatchewan. We can fall into bouts of depression if we are not aware. We must also be willing to do something about it. Something as seemingly insignificant as looking at the next images can invite more positive vibes.

A Flare of a Week

This has been a week. One of those. You know the kind. I find it hard to think with any depth. I read but it goes in one eye and out the other. The more I strain to discern the more fuzzy my brain feels. I am drawn to images more than words. If you could match your week to an image, what image would it be? Add your image in the comments!

This has been my week. Shout out to @giselledekel for the apt illustrations. They define what I am feeling. What I can’t put it into words. As far as I know, Giselle did not intend to portray chronic fatigue and pain. And yet, in my estimation, she nailed it.

Make it stop. I will do anything to make the pain stop.

Actual footage of me going to get a drink.

When one is stuck in bed for any length of time the positions into which one gets range widely. Having been stuck in bed for two days myself I think I will lose my mind soon. My body craves movement but I have a joint stuck out in my lower back. The muscles spasm after sitting or standing for a few minutes. What does one do when what the body needs in one way contradict what is needed in another?

Sometimes all one needs is a little ‘spring’. Don’t worry, spring will come again.

Constant. fog. Can’t focus. What was I saying? Where am I going? Why did I come in here?

The question is, how much do I actually need to pee? Is this an emergency or can it wait till tomorrow? I’ll wait.

Too tired to get out of bed to grab the cord. In chronic illness this is not laziness, this is of necessity.

Come on, Pam. We have to do the things. ‘Coming!’

Sometimes I feel useless because I compare my day to someone who is not struggling with chronic illness. I think showing up daily means giving 100%. But 100% is going to look different on different days. Maybe one day will be spent taking care of myself, the next resting, the next a combination of the two. And maybe that’s ok.

When I have a week like this one, I need to remember something important. Where there is a flare up, there is also a flare down. These symptoms will subside. Like Mumford and Sons suggest, I can learn to love the skies I’m under. Despite how dim those skies appear at times.

Beware the Weight

What are you carrying under your dim skies? We all carry something. Is it necessary to carry that weight? Some weight is. But other weight is bigger and heavier than we were meant to bear. Are you carrying a mountain that you were supposed to climb instead? Be in tune to the weight you carry. Weight is what helps us grow and get stronger. But it is also what squishes us. We will be more successful in all areas of life if we are open to putting unnecessary weight down. What can you put down to lighten your load this season?

Is your definition of success and your current inability to achieve it an extra weight you can put down? There are times I need to be reminded that my success will be different from that of others. Maybe my success is what I have become as I seek to regulate my nervous system. Maybe the only needed success at this time is not to compare myself to others. Creating a life that is mine. Having genuine and close relationships. The ability to heal from past mistakes. Setting and expecting boundaries to be kept. Knowing my own worth. Knowing how to show up for myself. Speaking kindly to myself. And knowing when and how to let go. Not abilities highly sought after these days. Yet in terms of growth these traits are far from inconsequential.

Having Fun this Christmas Season

Despite the weight and the hard days, there are still opportunities to have fun this Christmas season. Though as C.S. Lewis said,

Have fun, even if it’s not the same kind of fun everyone else is having.

I don’t always know what will add to my fun. But I understand that certain types of fun are difficult for my body. Trying to have such fun will not add to my enjoyment in the long run. This can be difficult and lead to feelings of abandonment and depression.

But there is a type of fun that will work for everyone. It will look different for each person but we start with the same questions. Gabrielle Roth explains that in many shamanic societies, a medicine person would ask one of four questions if you complain of being depressed. The first question is, when did you stop dancing? Second, When did you stop singing? Next, When did you stop being enchanted by stories? And finally, When did you stop finding comfort in the sweet territory of silence?

So this Christmas season, have fun and keep dancing (literally or figuratively). Sing, find enchantment in stories, and find comfort in silence. Find time for novalunosis- the state of relaxation and wonderment experienced while gazing upon the stars. I love stars.

Adopt a slower pace and own it.

Survival

When each day feels like I am barely surviving I start to feel so small. As though there is so much going on in the world and I am missing it all. I am falling behind and being forgotten. I am a moot point. What can I offer the world from my bed? Then I remember these words by Brene Brown.

One day you will tell your story of how you overcame what you went through and it will be someone else’s survival guide.

I do not write to complain or to invite sympathy, I show my scars so that others can heal.

The Power of Love

This time of year we start to think of our favorite things. We make lists of what to get and what to give. If you were to list all of the things you love, how long would it take to name yourself? There is a power in loving yourself. Not a prideful love but a quiet knowing and enjoying. Maybe it’s something we can all work on in the new year.

In my journey of wellness through forest therapy I am finding the real me. Would you like to do the same? Would you like these words to be said of you?

She was powerful not because she wasn’t scared but because she went on so strongly despite the fear.

-Atticus Poetry

In Conclusion

We are nature. Recognize the connections in your short and sweet forest time. When you have a week like mine, success will look different. Check that the weight you are carrying is of worth to you. Keep having fun, dancing, singing and finding enchantment. Find wonder in the stars. Allow yourself to move slower this season instead of faster. You are wintering. Do not feel small in your trials, you are going to be the way out for someone else. On a list of things you love, make sure your name is close to the top. Find yourself and your strength despite the fear.

The trees know about the winter. About the change. About the falling. About the loss. And they grow anyway, What’s your excuse?

– Erin Van Vuren

The Spoon Theory Explained: Managing Energy Wisely

November 19, 2024 pammunkholm

The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment, then where is it to be found?

-JB Priestly

We are not all so thrilled to see the snow falling today in our area. But I realized something important. When I looked at my grandson’s eyes, so big and shiny as he looked out the window. Pointing and gasping as though we put it there just for him. There is a way to see this new world as magical and beautiful.

Even for those of us who are suffering as the weather shifts. I mentioned the spoon theory in an earlier post. I want to go back over the basics of it as we commence today’s post.

The spoon theory is an analogy. People with chronic illness often use it to explain how their daily energy is limited. Spoons in this analogy represent units of energy. We have a finite number of spoons for each day. We must carefully choose where spoons are ‘spent’. This requires effort. Even the smallest daily tasks can consume a lot of your day’s energy. Tasks like preparing and eating food or attending an event are examples. The need to thoughtfully consider how we manage this is great.

For those who do not suffer in this way, the following infographic will prove most beneficial.

Something that I will acknowledge takes multiple spoons is showering. I share with you my guide:

How to Shower as a Spoonie

gather your supplies and your resolve, we can do this
start shower, warm, but not too warm, but definitely not too cold, that would be disastrous
enter shower, step carefully, we don’t need any new damage
use shampoo (the right one, nobody knows which one that is, but definitely don’t use something that has chemicals, newsflash, they all do)
when rinsing out the shampoo you will likely need to sit down and rest for a time, perhaps have a snooze
get back up, God speed, all of the blood will now be rapidly drained from your brain to your lower extremities leaving you sluggish and dizzy
apply conditioner as you simultaneously embrace the shower wall for support
briefly consider just calling this good
rally 👏👏👏
apply soap to areas easy to reach and just let it slide to the parts you can’t
while leaning ever more excessively on the wall rinse what conditioner you can
exit shower and haphazardly dry off
feel rotten and go to bed with your wet towel
cancel the plans you had because now you have been rendered useless
see? we’ve done it! without a hitch. beautifully executed

Have you ever gotten to the end of your spoons before you got to the end of your day? I often have. What is to be done in such a case? Can you restock your spoon supply? Sometimes the answer is no and the best thing to do is to go to bed and try again tomorrow. And that’s okay!

At times I am getting to the end of my spoons and I can see the day stretching out. I have found a few things that help to restock SOME of my spoons. Or at least it is helping me use what spoons I have left wisely.

Restocking your Spoons

Turning off and tuning out has been a life saver. I put my phone on airplane mode and I will go to a dark and quiet space. I can breathe deep, meditate and just BE without all the distractions.

Comforting food or drink. We have to be careful when choosing foods. I suggest finding one to have on hand for emergencies. Or maybe you are a tea person. A tea break is a great way to slow down.

At times exercise is the right call; though only to the degree that your body will allow. Maybe a stretch is right for some people?

There is nothing wrong with a nap. If that is what your body needs to regenerate then nap away. No shame!

And then there’s my favorite. A bath. I love the soothing warmth and having my body suspended where I don’t have to hold it together.

If you wonder why you are so tired, why we start each day with so few spoons. Consider the fact that our sleep is not the same quality and effectiveness as those without chronic illness. It’s unfortunate but true.

Recognize your limits. Pay attention to them. There is always much to do in a day but make sure you don’t end up like this Little Miss.

Pace yourself. Rest. Take breaks. We have to practice being still. And feeling okay with being still. Often it goes against ever part of our being. But maybe this is how we survive.

And on the days we are not okay?

You are worthy of so many things. Your illness and the limitations it causes do not minimize your worth. At all. And yet. A word of warning, the battle raging in your body is helping you become the person you are becoming. For better or for worse. Choose to make it for the better.

My symptoms have been varied and particularly pesky this month, this year. I am inspired by this Latin phrase. alis volat propriis. Translation: ‘she flies with her own wings’. We feel weak but we are truly strong. We often need to figure things out in our own way and timing. We fall. But still we rise.

To close, I’d like to give our non-spoonie readers another guide. This guide will help you support any of your spoonie friends and family.

Spoonie Translator

In response to “how are you?” we say, “fine thanks!”

This is not even remotely true, don’t trust us.

Translation: I am just barely holding things together but I like to try to blend in

When we say I have a doctor’s appointment coming up

Sounds like a bit of factual information, no big deal

In reality we are worried about it and might need support during &/or after

I wish I were able to work

And you think, “sure but isn’t it nice to stay home all day?”

We really would rather work, join the rest of the world, and make our mark, plus income is always nice

I am tired

“Me too” sounds like a reasonable response but that would be comparing apples and chronic fatigue

Translation: I need to quit now. I probably should have quit a while ago.

I wish I didn’t have… fill in the blank

Do you sometimes think, why do you have to talk about it so much?

Translation: I am devastated by the physical, mental, emotional, financial, employment, etc. changes my illness has brought.

Actual footage of me holding things together

Sometimes we just need to laugh. It’s a good coping mechanism. I hope I have brought a brightness and laugh to your day. Maybe a connection where you think, me too! Let me know in the comments.

How wonderful it is that we laugh because our bodies cannot contain the joy.

-unknown

If you’re enjoying the blog, hit subscribe so you never miss a post. I’d love if you’d share this post with anyone you think it would help. Take care my friends.

Navigating Chronic Illness: The Patient’s Perspective

November 12, 2024 pammunkholm

The forest speaks to my soul in a language I already know; a distant lullaby from the womb of peace and solitude.

-Angie Weiland- Crosby

I am literally addicted to forest bathing. While the ability to forest bathe in the winter does create challenges there is a way around most of them. We will discuss ways to combat the winter blues in a future post. We will also talk about how to maintain the healing momentum we all feel more powerfully in the summer.

But today I want to focus on doctor appointments. What’s the big deal about doctor appointments? Anyone with chronic pain/ illness knows. Let me explain the realities of chronic pain and medicine. This is for those who have not had to fight to get care.

The relationship between doctor and patient is supposed to come to a successful resolution. Diagnosis. Or death. The tricky nature of the chronically ill patient and their doctor is an uncomfortable one. There is no resolution or death. There is no treatment plan or hope for the future. It is hard for many people to wrap their brain around. Surely there is a surgery to be performed. A trial drug to be prescribed. If nothing else there must be the greatest of emotional supports. Not so.

My first thought with a new doctor is to walk in and ask for a refund on this body. It’s defective and terribly expensive. Actually explaining what has happened and what is now going on is exhausting.

Our world is set up to have an answer for everything. Just ask google. Or Siri. But not all doctors know all medical conditions. And some conditions don’t resolve.

I read this the other day: Having a chronic illness is like having severely bad eyesight and needing glasses. Except glasses don’t exist. Most people don’t believe you have bad eyesight. You get judged for not being able to see correctly, people think you are faking for attention. People tell you all the time they wish they had your bad eyesight so they could get out of certain obligations. You cannot go to work because you cannot see. You cannot read a page in front of your face, doctors say you are just depressed. Everyone around you tells you to try harder to see. Lots of people tell you to do yoga.

There are healthy people that are under the impression that chronic illness sufferers have a free ride. We “get to” stay home all day. And we get access to all the equipment and therapies needed for our condition. That is, sadly, just not true.

The pains I’ve had to go to get supports is almost too much. It is painful to think. Painful to fill out a form. Painful to sit in a waiting room to talk to someone about it. Painful to have them dismiss me and suggest I seek counseling.

Our medical system is more overloaded than before 2020. Still, these issues I am experiencing were a problem long before that. There is a lot of waiting in the medical system. At any given time, I am either waiting to see a doctor. I am waiting to hear back from a specialist. I could be waiting for a prescription to start working. Waiting on a cure. Or I’m waiting on a medical test that probably won’t show anything anyway!

Or my go-to move. Waiting in the walk in for hours because I forgot to book with my doctor before my meds ran out. Again!

This graphic from MyBodyIsTryingToKillMe.com could not be more accurate. When you’ve experienced medical gaslighting the time periods before, during and after appointments are even more anxiety triggering.

If you haven’t heard of gaslighting, allow me to catch you up. Gaslighting involves using psychological manipulation. This manipulation aims to undermine a person’s faith in their own judgment, memory, or sanity. In medical gaslighting it can look like being dismissed in your concerns or questions. Disregarding or minimizing your pain or other symptoms. When medical professionals try to pass off your musculoskeletal pain as something that is just in your head. Being stereotyped for gender, race or condition. Being shamed for attempting to self diagnose (have you seen that smirk?). Refusing to order lab work, imaging or a referral.

How many of these have you experienced? Comment below with your story.

Pre appointment jitters start coming up for me the day before. Or a week before, depending on how much I need this doctor to hear me. I have spent hours making notes, writing down questions and praying this doctor would hear me. And take me seriously.

It is demoralizing to be told you need to do more. You are simply waiting to be told what to do that will not make symptoms worse.

During an appointment I have been told nothing is wrong. That I just need to do more physio. That I won’t get better if I don’t get off the couch. This is the tip of the iceberg. It is demoralizing to be told you need to do more when you are simply wanting to be told what to do. In each diagnosis there is an attempt to create pain. Like getting your car engine to do the weird thing it does for the mechanic. But my issue was in “the wiring”. It would hide from doctors. Then it would show up as searing pain the following day. When they didn’t see it, it was hard to convince anyone it existed.

Post appointment always left me feeling let down. Major depression. I would have so much hope that this would be the answer. Only to be told there was nothing they could do. After the worst appointments, I would start looking for a new doctor. This added a fresh layer of stress to the pile. Then there is the drain circling doubt. I would question my thoughts. My symptoms. My pain. Is it all in my head?

I don’t access the medical system for many things anymore. There is so much more pain there. I use it for what it can offer and the rest I get from nature.

I am grateful for what I now know. Because the effects of medical gaslighting in my life were starting to take their toll. It has contributed to my ongoing depression and anxiety. It has given me a mistrust of doctors and specialists. Though my mistrust in myself has been the greatest weight. I have hesitated to seek care for myself and my family in other areas because of my experience. That has not always led to the best outcome.

While this is all very frustrating it is wonderful to know there are others out there. I am not the only one. So here I lend my voice to tell you that you are not the only one. I share these wildly accurate and humorous thoughts from Nia @chronicnotebook to end on.

This is hilariously accurate. I have definitely given myself this pep talk.

You are a forest and no matter how many wildfires burn you down you’ll always find a way to grow back.

C.S. Lewis

Living with ME/CFS: A Journey Through Chronic Fatigue

November 5, 2024November 5, 2024 pammunkholm

So, if you are too tired to speak, sit next to me because I, too, am fluent in silence. – R. Arnold

What is your toxic trait? I have many. One of mine is pushing through when my body is exhausted and needs to stop.

{MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS}

I was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Mya what?!? I like this infographic for breaking it down. It is so much more than being tired!

At the time of my diagnosis I wasn’t suffering many of the symptoms. It wasn’t my first concern. I was just trying to get my floppy joints to hold still. ME didn’t seem like a big deal. So what if I’d be tired. I just wanted the pain to stop.

But now, years later, I can see what ME has done and is doing to my body. Pushing through is never the right answer with ME/CFS. And having it?… actually is a big deal. I need to be aware of how it affects my body and what I can do to manage the symptoms.

If you’d like to know what it’s like to have ME/CFS follow these 6 simple steps:

First you’ll need to fast for 24 hours
Also stay awake for those 24 hours
Every time you stand up, spin around 5 times really fast
Throw yourself down the stairs 5 times in a row
Run 10 miles
And continue to try to live a normal life
this list is brought to you by sunshineandspoons.com

Accurate!

{SYMPTOMS}

The actual list of ME/CFS symptoms includes post exertional malaise. It seems obvious. You get tired after you perform an activity. Everybody gets that. But with ME there is a disproportionate amount of exhaustion for the type and length of activity. For example, showering is so tiring.

What is it? Arms up? Standing in one spot? I don’t know for sure but I need to rest after a shower. Sometimes in the middle of a shower.

Next on my list of symptoms is muscle pain and weakness. I need to exercise to keep my muscles strong enough to hold me together. When we leave the gym I have so much muscle weakness. I have trouble getting to the car without willing my body to keep moving. I’m daily tempted to ask my hubby for a piggyback. I feel the lactic acid running through my veins. Like I just ran a marathon and then sat down for a half hour. Then stood up and tried to walk. Can you feel the Oof?

And my favourite (and most embarrassing) symptom. Cognitive impairment. Brain fog. Oh the brain fog!

This is my life now. Anyone I have had a conversation with in the past couple of years can verify.

The list goes on. Sleep problems. Hypersensitivity to light and stimuli. Flu like symptoms, it has been compared to feeling poisoned. Shortness of breath. Difficulty swallowing and chewing. Sweating. Dizziness. Muscle pain, twitching and uncontrollable spasms. Poor tolerance for hot and cold. Visual disturbances (waves or blurred vision). Inconsistent central nervous system operation. Word finding difficulty. Disjointed speech. Difficulty comprehending text. Difficulty with processing and concentration. Feet burning. Poor digestion. I only list here the symptoms I have experienced. The list goes on for others who suffer ME. As I reread this list, it sounds like the side effects of a drug that’s not worth taking!

Just like so many syndromes in our world the severity of ME each person experiences is on a spectrum. Some people need to spend their lives in bed. Often separated from life to handle the pain that accompanies ME caused by any exertion. My heart goes out to those who suffer in such a way.

I was there.

{{MY STORY}}

In 2020 I hit a breaking point. But not for the same reason many other people did.

My body would no longer work the way it always had. Pushing through wasn’t a viable option. The wall of exhaustion was sudden and extreme. It was physical, mental and emotional. I had to go to bed and I didn’t know when I’d be strong enough to leave it again.

No 20 minute nap was going to fix this.

I had to stop working. I eventually (tearfully) decided to close my business. I couldn’t make my own meals. I didn’t want to eat anything anyway. I didn’t feel like sleeping but I was SO TIRED. My brain was spinning and all my nerves were ready to zap if not treated with the utmost respect.

Most heart wrenching of all. I had to leave my family. I had to go where it was quiet and still. There is nothing quiet and still about three teenage/ young adult sons and a farm to run.

I needed to be warm. And hushed. I needed to focus on me. Just me.

It. Took. Months. Of being still.

More months of learning to slowly start life again. And then starting over again but with boundaries.

More months of realizing this is my life now. I had expected to put my life on pause for a short time. And to pick up where I left off as soon as I was “better”. But you can’t live on pause. And there was no “better” forthcoming.

Not everyone who suffers ME will experience the same results as my story. Even if they do exactly what I did, outcomes differ. You can do everything right and still suffer the symptoms. I managed to break free from chronic fatigue’s strangle hold. By no small miracle.

During those first months my brain just wanted to stop but I had so many daily worries. I couldn’t handle the thought of letting them go. And there was nothing to physically be done in my state to take care of them.

So my mom would come into my room at her house. She would sit at the end of my bed and write all of my worries down.

She’d help me sort out what needed to be taken care of and who should do it.

Over time I started physically building myself back up so I would be strong enough to go home. I’d walk around my parents house for a minute. Then two. Then three. Everything had to be such a slow build. Or I’d start from square one again.

I couldn’t handle any stress. Try avoiding that in this day and age! It was and is an ongoing battle to recognize and alleviate those triggers.

This all seems a lifetime ago. Today I live an almost normal life. Normal for me I should say. I still can’t work. I have to pay attention to how I am feeling at all times. I need to make sure I am not overdoing anything. I listen to my intuition when I take things on or when I choose to politely decline. Sometimes I get it right and sometimes I have to go to bed.

{OVERCOME}

I don’t like being known as the woman who is always exhausted. Pushing through and setting off flares in my body. I don’t want to be remembered for just barely holding it together.

I want to be remembered as joyful and relaxed. When I rest I can let it restore me not frustrate me. I want to be remembered for loving fiercely and for being a woman who knows her worth and her strength including her limitations. Living in the mess and magic of this life. I don’t want to take things too seriously!

What can you do if you suffer some of the same symptoms? What are the treatment options? Doctors will tell you there is nothing they can do. While this might be true, there is plenty that you can do.

{TREATMENT}

Forest bathing is my number one recommendation. Get into nature and find comfort and healing in its embrace. As the days get colder just add more layers. If you need help to get the greatest benefits out of the forest head over to my contacts page. We can go together and I can show you how.

Do not find yourself guilty of my toxic trait. Do not push through. Just keep swimming is not always the right advice especially not for chronic pain sufferers. Just keep swimming till you have a flare. Just keep swimming till you are in so much pain you can hardly move. Just keep swimming will put you in bed. Your best option might be to just stop swimming and respect your limitations. And take care of yourself accordingly.

Here are some other things you can do to treat ME/CFS. Each of the ideas will put a drop in your bucket. The infographic mentions Fibromyalgia too. It is very common to have more than one chronic disease to manage. It is not like Pokemon. You definitely don’t want to catch them all.

Do not let your bucket run dry! Keep a daily schedule to stay on top of these treatments and ways of life.

Other treatments include pharmacological (for sleep, for twitches and spasms, for depression that often accompanies chronic illness, muscle relaxants (not me, my muscles are stretchy enough on their own), or medical marijuana for pain).

More treatments for pain include massage, physiotherapy, chiropractor, meditation and relaxation, heat and cold packs.

Sleep. Set up a soothing bedtime routine and stick to a regular sleep schedule. I am working on practicing what I preach in this area.

Other useful tools: Add salt to your water for extra hydration. Compression socks. Breathwork. Clean diet. Memory aids. Ear plugs and eye masks. Ask what your body needs and follow its answers.

{TO THOSE WHO SUFFER}

I end with this justifying quote for all those who suffer from ME/CFS. Dr. Clare Taylor said,

I maintain the sickest patients I have looked after are ME patients. They suffer. Every single day. For years. And get told to try harder. One day it will be accepted for what it is.

I don’t know this doctor. But here, here! Vindication for all who suffer.

If this sounds familiar to you, and you want to discuss more than what I cover on the blog, reach out to me on my contacts page. Tell me your story. There is healing in just that.

And she stopped… and she heard what the trees said to her, and she sat there for hours not wanting to leave. For the forest said nothing, it just let her breathe. -Becky Hemsley

Ways to Calm Your Overactive Nervous System: including but not limited to Forest Therapy!

October 22, 2024 pammunkholm

Here I sit beneath a tree,

Heartbeat calm

Soul hums free.

-Angie Weiland- Crosby

The conversation I am hearing around any table, in any social situation, is a desperate pleading for less stress, calmer nerves, more down time. Any way you put it, people are worn out. The phrase I choose to use in this space, is that we each have a deep need to regulate our nervous system. Which requires less stress and finding a way to calm our nerves.

So how do we go about doing this?

If only it were this easy!

Do A, B and C and your nervous system will be regulated. If only there were a list of instructions. But any of us who suffer from an easily activated system know from experience that once you allow that “jack-in-the-box” out, it is really difficult to squish him back in. Once you have had a breakdown of nerves aka a nervous breakdown it is really difficult to bring them back to normal function.

But! The good news is that it can be done.

There are many good ways to calm a dysregulated immune system. My number one favourite way is forest therapy. In the forest we find peace. We find rest and rejuvenation. It’s not just from the nice scenery.

There are many principles to forest therapy that I can teach to help you find the benefit of the forest when we go on a walk together.

As a forest therapy guide I am trained to lead you to the most valuable use of your precious time by sharing invitations to bring the benefits into your being and to take aspects of the forest home with you to keep that regulated feeling flowing.

I have to admit there are many other ways to regulate an overactive nervous system but I hold to the opinion that forest therapy is best!

Think of anything that brings you calm. We are not talking about ignoring your emotions while binge watching Disney movies and eating copious amounts of junk food. What we seek is the calm that feeds you. When you finish this type of activity, you feel better than when you started.

Some of my other ways to support my nervous system are: fun with family and friends, going to church, helping others, being creative or expressing gratitude.

Then there are the therapies that are also supportive. Red light therapy. Detoxing.

When our nervous system is overactive there is an over abundance of cortisol present. Cortisol is a good hormone in appropriate amounts. But like anything, too much of a good thing is not a good thing.

Cortisol’s acidic nature can cause a breakdown in lymphatic tissue and can lead to the flow of fluid being reduced. Grounding (connecting bare skin to the earth or a grounding mat) can support the breakdown of cortisol and improving lymphatic fluid flow.

Many of us who suffer from chronic conditions have a buildup of lymphatic fluid. A quick tip for this week is to either hum, bounce on a rebounder (you don’t even have to leave the mat, just a small bounce) OR tap your chest with your first three fingertips to clear some of this fluid daily. If there has been buildup you may notice a lot of phlegm in your throat. Nasty, but success!

For everyone, there is a chronic health epidemic regarding our nervous systems and we are all vulnerable, I believe this epidemic is due in part to the attitude we have developed around work, money and our own self worth.

If you look at the terms we use for money you will notice how they can also be used when talking about an individual and how they see themselves. The value of a dollar is nothing compared to the value of each human being. Our net worth can be high and our self worth low.

If we’ve spent years finding our worth in our productivity our nervous systems perceive play and rest as unsafe.

But maybe rest is exactly what we need!

Instead of asking, ‘Have I worked hard enough to deserve rest?’, I’ve started asking, ‘Have I rested enough to do my most loving, meaningful work?’ – Jane Hobbs

Whatever work that may be. Employment. Raising children. Caring for aging parents. Putting our creative work out into the world. A combination of these. Or none of these. For some of us, taking care of our bodies is a full time job because that is the only way out of this powerful cycle of dysregulation.

Brene Brown said, It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol.

Relatable?

May I offer a suggestion to choose your rest spot well?

Certain members of my family who shall remain nameless are so good at falling asleep they could make it an Olympic event. It’s a form of art, the noises they can make and how wide the mouth can hang open as they drift further and further into dreamland; it’s quite impressive. Ok I admit I am one of them, but these stories are not about me!

One day after hours of errands, one family member got in the car, leaned the seat back and closed their eyes. Upon waking, through blinking, fuzzy eyesight they saw a man wandering unnervingly close to their car and looking directly at them with eyebrows furrowed.

He was not the only one on the scene as there was a bus stop directly across from Sleeping Beauty and we have surmised our family member must have looked dead. That man waiting for the bus must have gotten quite a shock when the concern that brought him to peer into the windshield, turned to surprise that the dead had awoken.

Another time. Anther family member. This time a truck and a moment to nap on the side of the road that turned to dread upon waking hours, that’s right, plural, hours later to wonder how many friends had witnessed the scene. They’d had plenty of opportunity to drive by over all those hours. Possibly more than once since it was a popular intersection for all that know this nameless family member.

Here’s an approach to shifting that perspective. From exhaustion as a status symbol to doing what is best for us. I hope this sticks more than a mere invitation to get your rest, I offer to you two words of the week. Hurkle Durkle and Ramfeezled.

Ramfeezled: An 18th Century term for wrung out, tired and exhausted. Let’s stand up to the world’s judgment and have a nap before we become ramfeezled. And we will NOT allow exhaustion to be our status symbol. We choose life.

Hurkle- Durkle: A 200- year- old Scottish term meaning to lounge in bed long after it is time to get up. Happiness is Hurkle-Durkling. When your body needs rest, find time and a way to rest. When your energy is depleted find a time to Hurkle- Durkle. It is refreshing to get the amount of sleep one’s body needs.

You know how when you plug your phone in to the cord and leave it all night only to find the other end wasn’t plugged into the wall? It got no charge from being only plugged in on one end.

That is what it can feel like to someone with chronic fatigue/ pain/ illness. The stress on our body to exist can become too much some days. And exhaustion is the reality.

Have you experienced this type of fatigue? Being tired and being fatigued are quite different.

Please be aware of the beings in your world that require extra rest. It can be quite devastating to wake up after hours of sleeping and still be exhausted. Or to have a small window of the day to get things done before the body is showing signs of stress and fatigue.

We all experience moments of fatigue. However, if you are one of those that wakes up fatigued everyday and then goes about their endeavors as best they can like a boss, I see you, I recognize what it costs you, you are not alone.

Never. And I mean Never feel bad about taking a nap or getting a rest when your body needs it.

I invite you to allow the effects of the forest to heal your dysregulated nervous system. It can help bring your cortisol levels under control in a shorter period of time than other ways I’ve tried. Arrange your life to allow time to rest when your body needs to rest. Have you rested enough to do your most loving and meaningful work? Say yes to rest but choose your rest spot wisely! Find time to hurkle- durkle and don’t become ramfeezled. I can show you how.

Join me in the forest. Head to my contacts page to book or to make inquiries. Take care of yourselves.

Nature Walks: Embrace Change and Find Peace

October 1, 2024 pammunkholm

Simplicity is the beauty of nature and silence is its fragrance. – Nitin Namdeo

When on a forest therapy walk we don’t teach or study the names of plants and flowers and trees. We don’t need to worry about anything so focused when experiencing nature. But it is interesting to note some of the plants and wildlife we are surrounded by every so often.

Following are a list of the fall flowers of Saskatchewan natural grasslands. Have you seen these or anything else on your forest walks? Let me know in the comments.

Owl’s Clover

Showy Sunflower

Brown eyed Susan

Prairie Sage

Canada Goldenrod

Common Broomweed

White Prairie Aster

Dotted Blazing Star

Tufted Fleabane

Join me in taking the time now to become familiar with plants and wildlife so when we are on the trail it can be a passing thought that connects us but not to the point that we need our phone out to ask Siri. Learn some this year and some next.

The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let things go. – Unknown

What can you learn from nature as it shows us the beauty of change and letting go?

Living with chronic illness/ pain/ fatigue requires change in us. A change in perspective and a change in plans. A change in friends and purpose. When we block that change we can create more difficulties and pain. When we yield to changes that need to be made we are like the fall tree shedding its leaves. Nothing has gone wrong. This is the next step. The thought of a tree holding its leaves in a death grip with the season is ridiculous. Is our holding on any less so?

The changes we need to make can be devastating and forever change who we are. Yet there is beauty in the change. When you looked into the weather worn skin of your mom or grandma, did you see wrinkles that needed to be smoothed? Or did you see the life they have lived in those lines? Laugh lines. Perplexed lines. Worry lines. Cry lines. All the lines of a life well lived.

I remember my grandma’s big crooked knuckles. I didn’t ever think they needed to be straight and small. They were part of her hands. They worked hard washing dishes, making pies, and keeping a clean house. They read books to me. They gave me treats for the horses. They taught me how to peel an apple. Those hands played the piano like nobody’s business. Those hands were perfect to me.

What changes are taking place in your life that may appear ugly to you but are actually just knuckles getting crooked or wrinkles being set? Is it possible that those changes appear to others like the changing of the fall leaves? Marvelous. Brilliant. Timely. Radiant.

Living a life with chronic disease requires something from a person. A bending of the will. Being taken from a healthy version of one’s self and changing to a version that may be difficult to understand. To navigate. To love.

I find when I bend to the discomfort and the disappointments and the disasters left in my wake as I just have to lay down, I am better able to see the beauty of the changes. I see what my family has learned in my “absence”. I have a better perspective of the big picture and I don’t get so focused on the details. I can be grateful for all the good.

Time spent forest bathing increases my capacity to see the good. There is so much of it out there. Enjoy your forest walks and if you need help to take it all in, let me know. Reach out to me on my contacts page.

I love crowds. Of trees.

5 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid in Forest Bathing

September 17, 2024 pammunkholm

When it comes to chronic pain management there is no wrong way. Whatever way works for you is the right way.

My answer to chronic pain management is forest bathing.

How lovely the silence of growing things.

The forest has been my tutor in recent months and I have learned a few things since becoming a certified forest therapy guide. Below are my top five rookie mistakes to avoid in forest bathing:

Going in with a plan. We want to be safe and plan ahead for animals or insects in the area. If we are going alone we let someone know where we are going and when we plan to return. Those types of plans are best, safe practices. But what we don’t want to plan is the outcome of our forest walk. We go into our forest or urban forest space with an intention to come through with an improved physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance. There is no agenda and the forest is the guide.
Rushing. Each forest walk is an opportunity to slow down the pace of life. How can that be accomplished unless the pace of the walk is at the pace of the forest? I used to walk so fast around the grocery store my husband thought I was running away from him. He would chase me with the cart careening around corners. That is not the pace we want to set on our forest walk. It takes practice to slow down. On your next forest walk, slow down enough that you feel all the rushing drain out of you.
Long distance. While going for a longer walk is usually considered more beneficial for your overall health, in this case we want to regard less as more. This is not a cardio workout for length or speed. The length of the walk can vary based on needs and abilities. But for all those doing their own forest walks, instead of using your time to walk deeper and deeper into the forest, take time to find a sit spot. Stop and notice what is happening around you instead of trying to cover the maximum amount of ground.
Closed senses. A primary focus of forest walks is to recognize what is happening around you in the moment. The sound of a bird and the wind in the trees. The feel of a leaf or of your bare feet touching the ground. The smell of the trees and wildflowers. The shape of the clouds or how the grass dances in the wind. Close your eyes and recognize the feel of your body in this wide open space. Notice the temperature of the air and how it cools your skin while the sun warms it. Use your five senses and then some, to connect to your outer world.
Missing connection and engagement with the forest. Another solid aim of forest bathing is to connect with the forest. Engage your senses. Breathe it in. Can you internalize the feelings that are present? Can you bottle up this feeling and take it home? If you engage and connect with your surroundings, you are achieving another level of calm that you and the forest can embark on together. If you regularly take time to forest bathe you will find that calm easier to access and longer lasting. You really will be able to bottle it up and take it home with you like fireflies in a mason jar.

All of us are rookies in some way. What mistakes have you made on your forest walks? Any entertaining stories that anyone wants to share in the comments?

After 12 years of chronic pain you would think I would learn. I still make the rookie mistake of thinking I’m all better. The cycle is real. I start to feel good. I do too much because the to-do list has been getting longer and longer. The pain and exhaustion kick in. I remember my body is having technical difficulties. I step back and try to do less. I start to feel better. I think I’m all better. I do too much. And round and round we go.

As I hurried through a store today past a man with a cane I thought of how grateful I am to be able to be out and doing anything let alone hurrying about it. There was a time not long ago that pain and exhaustion kept me in a pile on my bed more often than not throughout the day. Getting dressed was monumental. Showering was out of the question. In the past I have felt the weight of those days pressing in on me. I felt real fear of being stuck in a pain cycle. Out of control. Now, instead, I try to enjoy what I am able to do now and always make an effort to protect and strengthen my body. But with this condition I will have to be vigilant. There is always the possibility of unmanaged pain around the corner.

How does one cope with this reality?

I am in my 40s and my boys are all finished their teenage years. I am in the time of looking back. Reflecting. I kept thinking this week of the time we were preparing for a snowboarding excursion. All three boys got their own snowboards for Christmas and we were going for our first family trip of the season. I looked ahead to see the weather was going to be pretty chilly. So I purchased long johns for the boys to wear under their gear, hoping that would make it a more enjoyable and less frosty experience.

Like most things, I waited till the last minute and we were all hurrying to prepare for our trip the next day. Everyone was grouchy and tired. There was yelling and frantic looking for everything. In the midst of the chaos I handed over the long johns for everyone to make sure they fit. I left to pack a bag in another room. When I returned to the kitchen to check sizing, I found my recently crabby boys doing their version of ballet. One of them had decided the long johns made them look like ballerinas. The rest followed suit. And the dance ensued. My brusque attitude melted away as I watched them plie, arabesque and attempt jetes around my kitchen.

Whether you are a chronic pain sufferer or if you support someone who is, joy can come from the most mundane things. When I am in a pain cycle that seems never ending it can be hard to find joy. I am trying to find joy in the long johns. The boys doing ballet in the kitchen. In the doing too much. Again. In the memories of days gone by. In the words that don’t come out right. Confound this brain fog! (last night I told my husband the mool looked coon. what!?! the moon looks cool *shakes fist*) Count it all as joy. Spending time in the forest can open you up to those feelings of acceptance and gratitude for what is.

If you’d like to avoid the rookie mistakes and get the most out of your forest walk, book with me and I can show you the way or if you have any questions reach out to me on my contact page. Take care my friends.

Finding Harmony: Embracing Nature’s Influence in Life

July 23, 2024 pammunkholm

The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness. – John Muir

As I was searching through topics to write about this week it hit me how very dismal our world can be. If you do a search of the hottest topics out there on social media right now you’ll see a lot of worry and despair.

I choose not to feed that part of me. Like many of you, I carefully choose my social media use and what I am digesting wisely.

Many of you have heard the Jim Rohn quote, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” I wondered if that applied to podcasts. Would you want to be the average of your top five podcasters? I love my podcast sisterhood. They don’t know me but we are the best of friends.

Do you listen to podcasts/ read books or blogs/ fill in the blank with people you want to become the average of? When you think of your highest self, do the people you join forces with in person or online, line up with that version of yourself?

I went through my podcast subscriptions the other day and purged the ones I either don’t listen to or are a waste of my time. That’s not to say you should never have time wasters. There is a time and place for time wasters. All I’m suggesting is to choose wisely and revisit your choices often.

What about nature? Does it count as a friend you want to spend time with? Can you become more nature- like?

Nature is loyal in its cycle of seasons. I am learning to trust the times and seasons of my life. There are times I will have more energy but during these summer days it is important for me to rest and refresh my soul. I had days of running after littles and managing a household of chaos. This is my rest phase.

Nature has its own rhythm and dance. It is never in a hurry or behind schedule. Sometimes it roars like a lion only to fade into effulgent beauty and stillness. Other times the breeze whispers so softly you need an afternoon of stillness to hear what the steps are. I want to find this cadence for my life. This beauty and stillness, yet force of …nature. Like a wildflower who has sprung when and where nobody would ever have expected one to survive. My roots run deep and give me strength to survive any storm.

Nature recognizes sometimes ashes need to come before beauty. I always want to jump to the good parts. The happy endings. I want the happily ever afters. But I forget that sometimes we need to get to the root of the problem before beauty can emerge. When we jump to the good parts we miss the growth that happens in between.

Nature feeds us. In so many ways. From the grain, fruits and vegetables grown that literally feed us, to the energy we can harness from natural resources, the world’s offerings are tremendous. How do I feed others? Are my offerings of time and attention feeding others or just making me feel good about myself?

These are the thoughts on my heart and mind this summer evening. Let nature’s loyalty help you find comfort. Allow her rhythm and dance to excite and lull you depending on what you need in the moment. Acquiesce to her demand to burn and then watch spellbound for the beauty to emerge. Grant her desire to feed you. Physically. Spiritually. Energetically. Nature has so much to offer. Adopt the practices that will invite her to impact you.

Head over to my contact page today to book a forest therapy walk with me for the greatest impact.

Take care friends.