Little things make a difference

Am I living the life I want ? If im honest I feel like I’m missing out on living the life of an average 20 something .. So I’ve asked myself why am I not ? Is it the illness or is it me?? The answer it’s a mixture of both.

What’s stopping me ?? I’m tired sometimes when I’m in pain I lose the get up & go which if left it becomes a routine. I’ve had arthritis for so long sometimes I naively think I know it all in relation to my own health but I fall into the trap of “ I CAN’T” so I decided enough is enough.

Anyone who is “stuck“ in a routine whether they have arthritis or not will become tired & bored so I’ve ditched my old lifestyle & begun changing things that I can’t do.

I’ve become interested in positive psychology & how this can benefit someone with a chronic illness. I’ve surrounded myself around positive people and I’ve really noticed a HUGE change I even notice a difference in how I analyze things. Is something really impossible? Why is it impossible? What can I do to get to where I want to go ? So now my end result to quote a very famous builder             “ Can we do it? Yes we can”

So to bring this into perspective how can this affect my life & my health?! I’ve looked at a few area’s which on a daily basis affect me….

I CAN’T do this because ….

Problem A:

I can’t do the shopping because it’s so heavy & Im tired …..then when I get home I’m simply exhausted so I call the local take away.

So Monday I went shopping & over came my fear of grocery shopping. I struggle to do the weekly shop so usually I pick up a few bits on my way from work because I can’t get carry the bags or lift the basket. So I got a trolley which I filled up with loads of fresh fruit, veg ,& fish. After I checked it out I also overcame the second obstacle & asked one of the shop assistants would they help me bring it to the car which was no problem at all.

Ohhh I felt some level of achievement by Friday I had cooked a healthy meal each evening.  I also picked up a few healthy snacks because I knew I had a busy week ahead so I avoided snacking or becoming over hungry and calling for a take away. By Tuesday I had soooo much more energy but I also knew that Wednesday I wouldn’t be home until 8 so I make a super yummy curry for the following day .

Problem B:

I CAN’T do exercise it hurts my body… well I haven’t the time by the time I get home I’m so tired and then it costs a fortune to join the gym. So join a class ? Well em I’m too afraid to go to an exercise class because of my limitations.

Enough is enough this excuse is rubbish even if I do say so myself…. Let’s get to reality here I’m never going to be a gym freak it’s soooo not for me but I can get fit & healthy which is what I wanna do.

I’m tired well duh of course you are who wouldn’t feel tired when your lazing about on the couch watching tv- my arthritis has nothing to do with this.

So what can I do to change this? Split up the exercise into mini sections I’ve split walking into two parts 3km to work in the morning & 3km on the way back.

I really wanna do yoga class but I don’t think I’m strong enough just yet so I asked my physiotherapist to help me out she suggests I buy an exercise ball to help build up my muscles etc….So off I went to buy an exercise ball. 

Guess what before dinner is prep’d or while it’s cooking I’ve managed to do 30 min of exercises each day for the past two weeks it’s helped I’ve done it all before soaps start & I’ve blasted a few tunes out to keep the motivation going.

I’ve also got the Young Arthritis Walking group on the go so I’ll have more motivation to get going. I’ve  even signed up for Joints in Motion & the Mini marathon so nothings stopping me now because I'm doing it for myself.

Next week I plan on going swimming initially I would like to go once a week. So I’ve arranged a swimming buddie so I'll have more motivation to actually go.

By making both of these changes it’s made such a difference to my life over the past two weeks. I have sooooooooo much more energy in fact for the first time in a very long time I feel ALIVE in the sense I could do anything.  I’ve noticed I’m in less pain now I’ve still got pain but I have noticed a reduction.

So with all this energy I was able to spend more time living the life of an average 20 something year old. 

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Let's Dance with Arthritis

Saturday saw the kick off of the ‘Let’s Dance’ workshops. Well I have to say I wasn’t disappointed. Upon arrival we had a chance to mingle over tea and coffee which was a great ice breaker. Our instructor Brian Redmond is a 3 times “All Ireland” ballroom champion, “All Ireland” show dance champion and he was also an “All Ireland” youth Latin American champion. He definitely understands the needs of dancers but I was worried he might not understand the needs of a person living with arthritis…. How wrong was I? From the second I arrived in the ballroom I was put totally at ease.

The class itself was designed specifically for people with arthritis and Brian himself was trained in arthritis management by a physiotherapist. He also told us that his dad has arthritis. I think both of these aspects really played a part in his understanding of movement and arthritis and definitely came to bear on how this class was designed. Some of the steps were even redesigned so that they are comfortable for a person with arthritis to do.

Brian taught us two styles of dance – Salsa and the Waltz. The salsa which is my personal favourite was fabulous! I left the class with the steps playing over and over in my head. I was surprised how quick and easy it was to pick up too. Brian breaks the dance down into the basic steps making it easy for anyone to learn. Once the music started playing, the class really got moving around the dance floor. The class was without doubt the right style and pace for people with arthritis.

Finally the class finished with the waltz. I was worried about this one given the traditional ‘hold’ puts a lot of pressure on the upper body. I need not have been worried however as the first step we were taught was an adjusted hold which is a lot lower, thereby reducing the pressure any one of the joints.

Before I knew it the class was over. So what was the highlight? The fact that I learnt to dance while exercising and I didn’t realize it – Now that’s what I call a genius idea!! In the cold winter months I think this will definitely be my preferred method of keeping these joints moving!

The ‘Let’s Dance’ workshops continue throughout the country. For more information, clickhere