Sunday, December 11, 2005

How to handle those darn MS Symptoms!

I have many people with MS tell me that it is easy for them to be more positive when they don’t have any symptoms. Makes sense … if you are physically feeling good, it’s easier to feel more positive. But, those same people tell me that as soon as they feel something like a sensory feeling or weakness in the leg or cognitive slowness, their mood changes “on a dime”.

Let me tell you a story about me. The past few days I have been experiencing more sensory feelings … my legs have been “buzzing”, I feel that occasional butterfly on my lip or cheek and I wake up in the middle of the night with my hands and arms all “pins and needles”. Now, I am the type of person that tries to figure it all out. I ask myself the following questions:

1) What’s going on here?
2) Why am I feeling these symptoms more now?
3) Does it have to do with what I am eating?
4) Is it the change in weather from extreme colds outside to the heat inside?
5) Is it a hormonal thing?

As you can see, I give my brain a workout! But being a Motivational Speaker & Life Coach has helped me to recognize when I am doing this and “nipping it in the bud” right away. So yesterday, I reminded myself that continually focusing on the sensory symptoms was not going to make them go away – matter of fact, it was only going to bring the sensory symptoms more to my attention and make me recognize more and more little things.

So, what did I do? I snapped myself out of it. I refocused my thoughts on things that made me feel good. I watched a great movie with someone I love. I blogged and wrote about things that I am passionate about. I reminded myself that by focusing on all the questions that I had in my head, I was not going to accomplish anything.

Look at the questions again … do you think I was able to answer them with any accuracy? No, of course not! It’s not something I can figure out. It just “is what it is”. Why rack my brains trying to figure out “What and Why”? It sure wasn’t making me feel better!

What are YOU focusing on lately that keeps you in a rut or makes you feel even worse? Stop focusing on the things that don’t make you feel good or that make you crazy (by trying to figure it all out). Focus on the things that serve you – the things that make you smile and bring you some joy. Say to yourself “It is what it is, and now it’s time for me to move on and to start focusing on the things that make me feel good!”

One thing I have learned about myself, being diagnosed with MS, is that I can’t figure it all out, life can be very unpredictable and that there is a benefit associated with the unpredictability. Yes, a statistician is actually saying that “predictability is not all it’s cracked up to be!” What would life be like if everything and everyone was predictable? Not very exciting, if you ask me!

Create a wonderful week for yourself, where you are focusing on all the things that benefit you by bringing a smile to your face. Disregard the thoughts and feelings that just make you feel worse – they have no purpose! They do not ADD to your quality of life. They just take away from it.

P.S. Check out my Spectacular Holiday Sale on all my Lovin' Life Products (up to 50% off!):
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Warmest Regards,
Maria C. Lesetz,
Maria@MariaLesetz.com
Lovin' Life
Motivational Speaker & Life Empowerment Consultant
Statistical Consultant
(541) 686-1326
(541) 484-4146 FAX
www.MariaLesetz.com

America's #1 Motivational Speaker & Life Coach for People with MS!
AND "America's #1 Certified Life Coach for Doctors with Health Challenges!"

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