Saturday, January 26, 2013

Fear or Faith?


There is so much to say on this subject and I want to take more time in the future to talk about fear and it's effect on our mind and body.


For now, I am simply inspired to share what my dear friend Kinsey wrote to me today.  She has listened to me in my most fearful moments, so scared of the pain and drowning in hopelessness of an incurable disorder, scared of what may happen.  Over the years I've come to recognize the terrible downward spiral that these feelings can lead us to, as the bodies response is to freeze (think fight or flight) and not only physically but mentally feel worse, literally begin to shut down.  If I can breathe through it and somehow learn to observe the pain, be one with it as opposed to fighting and being fearful of it, then slowly I gain control of the pain or discomfort or whatever it may be.  Easier said than done, but absolutely lifesaving at times.

Here is what she wrote:

"Fear and faith are two sides of the same coin, in my opinion.  The more you have of one, the less you have of the other...they are inversely proportionate.  I think that ultimate faith requires us letting go of needing to understand 'why' or 'how'.  Trust that God knows 'why' and that through our living and breathing will, we will become the 'how'."

No matter what your beliefs are, we can all practice having the faith, the trust, that we are strong enough to get through this and that in time, we will overcome it.  


2 comments:

  1. Hey Steph. I just wanted to say thank you for your blog.

    I was diagnosed with idiopathic Gastroparesis 3 weeks ago (I am only 18) after becoming very ill to the point of hospitalisation twice, having only been out for a week now.

    This is the scariest, most life altering thing that has ever happened to me and it is all so raw - each day is a real struggle and the emotional and physical effects immense. Food is such a major issue for me right now, as I vomit everything - and in turn hate eating and am not eating enough.

    I was wondering if you had any advice for these next few days/weeks/months as I adjust to the new normal? I would really appreciate knowing I am not the only one and that things will be ok. Your thoughts here on life and death reflects my own battle of now. I just want to bawl, wah.

    Thank you from the depths of my heart - would you be interested in forming a friendship?
    I just began a blog on all this.

    Sincerely, and thanks for reading.

    ~ Anna

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Anna,

    First, let me just say how sorry I am to hear that you are going through this tough time, especially at such a young age. When first diagnosed it can be a whirlwind of emotions just like you mentioned. Take a deep breath and know you are not alone. There are a number of things you can do that might help physically, from medications to procedures. Also, educating yourself on what we call a GP friendly diet is essential. This takes time because everyone is different but have faith that you will learn to find foods that DO work for you. Surround yourself with support and educate others on what it is you are dealing with. If you go under Handouts at the top of this page there is one called What I CAN Eat. Page 2 has a quick overview of GP to help explain to others.
    I have limited room right now for one on one health coaching but might be able to work something out. Please email me at stephanie@journeywithwellness and we can chat more! My thoughts are with you and remember to try your best to stay positive and have hope that you will get through this!
    Stephanie

    ReplyDelete