To Spoonies in America on the Eve of Trump's Inauguration

Dear Spoonie Heroes,

These are scary times. We don’t know what’s going to happen to the Affordable Care Act or other government programs we rely on and care about. You have a right to be worried – for yourself, for your neighbors, for the country. But, I urge you, don’t let that worry get the best of you. It will make you sicker. And no one understands that better than you.

Never has there been a more important time for us to practice self-love and take the best care of ourselves that we possibly can. From a fuller well, we can better support ourselves, our spoonie tribe, and the other people we love. Tensions are high, people are freaked out. I’m sure you’ve seen it on your social media feeds and felt it out in the world, if you get to leave the house. We are more sensitive and we need to do all that we possibly can not to absorb the stress of others. Drink tea. Meditate. Say your mantras. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. And then breathe some more. In doing this, we can be examples for our friends and family who may not be as skilled in the art of self-care and stress mitigation as we are. Let’s face it, we’re the experts.

If you’re anything like me, your chronic health challenge has taught you a thing or two about what’s most important in life. Maybe you care less than you used to, or none at all, about other people’s opinions. This is because you know that caring about that is a waste of your precious energy. Let us demonstrate our knowing by taking action – personal, political, community, whatever is accessible. We are powerful. Now, more than ever, we must stand firm in that power and share it with the world.

Keep healing like a boss.

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Lead photo by Thinkstock Images