Free yourself from the burdens of your condition

I recently started talking about things we can do to put life back on track. So much time is spend trying to understand the conditions we are afflicted with and learning how to cope and adapt. A lot of times this is perceived as taking control.

I myself used to think this! But when you think about it... when were you ever really in 'control' of your life? When you woke up late you weren't in control. When you got the job but then found out how stressful your job was... at what time did you have control and lose it? When your relationships changed, you moved... were you really in control?

So control is really a human delusion and need for 'stability'.

Today, we're going to be talking about freeing ourselves from or worries, concerns, fears, obstacles that weigh us down and chain us to our conditions.
One's tinnitus! One's hyperacusis! one's vestibular issues that seem to takeover our lives.

If you haven't grasped what your condition is I suggest you start there. Read up on it through medical websites or even the organizations that specifically are there to help guide you.

After knowing what your condition is and how it affects you. Ask yourself what coping tools have help you in your case and which have not seemed to work at all. How does this make you feel?

Some will answer "My tinnitus is ruining my life!"
"I'm crippled by my hyperacusis" and "I feel so isolated by my vestibular issue.'

These are all natural responses to conditions that can make one feel like they have no control over their life. However the very thing that weighs you down can lift you up. And here's why...

Often someone else will approach me by text, email, phone call and even in person and say, "What you said really spoke to me. I can relate to so many of the symptoms you mentioned and I found your words inspirational."

It's a good feeling to know that others can learn from your own personal experience. And an amazing feeling to know you gave someone else hope.

Accepting your condition is key to freeing yourself from the burden of your condition. You need to know it's okay to feel exhausted and even ill. Give your body what it needs to fight off these conditions just like you would having the flu, a stomach virus, even cancer.

If a nap gives you energy to complete your day then schedule a nap into your daily routine. Adding the things to your routine that lift you up breaks that endless cycle of symptoms that seem to be controlling your life.

And you certainly don't have to act ill in order for people to believe your condition is real. It's not your job to get people to believe you. You were diagnosed with these conditions and it is your job to find away to improve your quality of life with that condition.

Deep inside I hated myself! I felt broken because no matter what I tried wasn't working. It took time... no more than anyone was willing to allow my body to fight off that which was making me ill.

I learned that small moment give me strength, lift me up. I do my therapies because they allow my body the ability to work more proficiently. Would the average person walk out the door without any pants on? No! So why would I try to go throughout my day without doing the therapy which I need so that I too can walk out the door.

Focus on what you can do, not what you cannot do.

I can now open my front door, step out, and not get hit by extreme nausea due to the sounds of the wind blowing, birds singing, ore car passing by. WARRIOR

I can now walk down the street without earplugs in. WARRIOR

I can now walk through the grocery store getting my food without rushing home to vomit due to all the noise in the store. WARRIOR

I can have a cup of coffee with a friend without getting a migraine within minutes. WARRIOR

What things can you do?

Sure I still have severe tinnitus, hyperacusis with vertigo induced migraines, directional hearing and auditory processing issues, and was diagnosed with Tullio's.. but I can do so many things I could not do when I was first diagnosed.

Tomorrow, a year from now... I can't wait to see what else I CAN DO! All because I learned what my condition was. I learned what works for me! I do the work.. my walking therapy, cognitive therapy, my vestibular therapy, and I follow my restrictions, accommodations and take the medication I need for me.

The weigh lifts more and more. I'm grateful for the freedoms I have. It's been a long road. Did I want to quit at times? Yes Did I feel helpless at times? Yes Was I so ill I was bedridden? Yes Did it stop me? No I gave my body the most important thing you can give it ... TIME Time to accept. Time to heal. Time to adjust.

It's okay if you can't do something today because tomorrow is a new day.