Some things I do when I’m having one of “those days”

Written By
Kim Fryling-Resare

To quote my favorite little blue fish Dory from the DisneyⒸ movie Finding Nemo, “What do you do when life gets you down? You got to just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” It’s an old quote but a good one. Smart fish, even with the short-term memory loss. You just have to keep going. Things always get better.

As we all unfortunately know, life can be hard. Add a chronic illness to the mix and it can seem even harder. Life ebbs and flows all around us. We have amazing days where we are totally in the moment and we’re on top of the world. Then we have those down days where we’re in a fog, and we let things build and compound one on top of another. It just seems that things can’t get any worse. We are our own worst enemy, and we just can’t seem to get out of our own way.

I’m a big fan of a positive attitude. I try to practice it on a daily basis, and to keep my chin up as much as I can. Sometimes, however, I know that staying positive is easier said than done.  

There are those days when I’m tried and tested, and downright exhausted. I just want to throw in the towel, be miserable, and feel sorry for myself. I’m human after all. Can I keep up this constant pace? Can I keep up the fight?

Then, I have a moment of clarity, a mental head slap, if you will. I know I have to make a concerted effort to realign and refocus myself. I feel like if I give in to “the dark side,” everything in my life will snowball downhill very quickly. My health will suffer and I will let multiple sclerosis get the best of me. It’s like going down that unknown rabbit hole that you have no idea where it is going to take you, and where you’re going to end up.

During this realignment, I try to…

• Stay positive. I will take the negative things I see going on and try to put that positive spin on it, to find the silver lining in the things that are getting me down.
• Let go of things I can’t control. I consciously make an effort to do this. I know I’m doing all that I can to keep myself on track and be the best that I can be, and if I’m not, then this is a time to evaluate what I can be doing better.
• Do my best.  What else can I ask for? If I’m doing the best I can, than in my belief, everything should fall into place the way it is supposed to. And if it doesn’t, than it was another one of those things that was out of my control. I have to let it go and believe that it wasn’t meant to be.
• Give myself a break.  Even small things, like daily tasks, I have to give myself a break on. It’s not all going to get done, and that’s ok. My house might not be the cleanest house in the neighborhood but it is somewhat tidy and picked up - ”organized chaos” as I often refer to it. I have chosen to let that portion go for the moment. I can’t get everything done and that’s ok.   
• Take a moment for me.Whether it be putting everything aside and enjoying a cup of tea or going for a walk or run, I try to do something that will elevate my mood and relieve stress and anxiety.  I often will go for a run, something that I’ve discovered in recent years that I actually enjoy. I get “into my head” and work through things as I run, as well as relieve any of the stress or anxiety that may be festering. I think it’s important to find that “me time" and to find something that centers you.   

Those of just some of the things I do to “just keep swimming.” How about you? What keeps you going when “life gets you down” and you’re having one of “those days?” 

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