Taming the Fire

The Super Bowl is about to begin and after buzzing like a bee around the house, preparing for a few guests who are super fans.  I'm not exactly what you would consider a football fan, but I can't help but get caught up in the emotions of anticipation, excitement, and the hooting and hollering that that belt from my husband and our friends.  Plus, it was a great excuse to get a super cute team hoodie and make some funky earrings to match!

Today isn't the best day symptom wise.  Sleep has not been great and to top it off I'm on my period, a time when GP can rise above and beyond my control. This tends to begin the week before and last the first few days of, followed by my best days - hunger, energy, the strange yet joyful feeling that the beast finally decided to give me my freedom back.  To make today work, I must prepare, aka "get my game face on."

- Upon wakening, I took a few minutes to focus on deep breathing followed by some simple stretching in bed.  This must happen quietly before our pups hear my feet hit the floor and trample me down for immediate attention...and most important of course - food.  

- With the endless bowls of snacks, most of which would make me sick, I followed the same routine of a small, complete breakfast (today it was 1/2 cup oatmeal mixed with cooked and strained blueberries plus 1 scrambled egg), which (cross fingers) will most likely settle.  

- After laundry and cleaning, I tossed my lavender-infused heating pad in the microwave and allowed this to calm my belly for a time. 

- Prepared a snack for myself later, balanced of course, for the game: my favorite gluten free crackers, slices of avocado and oven roasted deli turkey.  While other's may be chugging their beer I will be sipping my homemade broth, especially if eating is a challenge.  

- Find something to do with my hands to keep my mind off wanting to snack non-stop like many tend to do during the game.  Today I'll be knitting.  

- Don't be afraid to ask others to help with the clean up because let's face it, I'm not the super multi-tasking hostess I once was. 

- Enjoy the day for what it is, not for what I can't do...like gorge on snacks and have an adult beverage.  Friends, laughter, crying (whether we lose or win I'm betting there will be a tear somewhere!), and really just being a part of something.

Now these are just my own ways to deal and prepare.  If you know much about GP then you probably know that there is a huge spectrum of what we individually can tolerate on our day to day routine. I do believe we can all benefit from...

Rest

   Laughter

       Movement

            Community

                Deep breathing

                     Asking for help

Emotions can fly all over the place on a difficult day, on a busy day, a day that seems overwhelmingly overwhelming.  If we let those feelings take control of our body's need for balance, then trouble lies ahead.  It's a bit like stop, drop, and roll.  What happens if you catch on fire and don't do follow this practice?  Not good!  With GP, it's like a match inside just waiting for an opportunity to strike.  And I know for myself I try to do everything in my power to prevent this, and when it does strike, when the flames want to engulf me, remembering the list above helps to cool down the heat.  

Sunset on "fire" captured on the bay last night, a fire filled with beauty and hope.

What do you do to stay balanced?  

Wishing you well today, 

Stephanie

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