SpoonieLifeHacks

Leaving the house can be a daunting task on its own. Add a health condition (or several!) to the mix, and getting out the door can feel nearly impossible. Are there any medications you need to bring with you? What happens if the atmosphere in a store triggers a migraine or panic attack? Do you have a medical ID or insurance card that needs to go in your wallet? Does your phone have enough battery if you’re stuck in the waiting room for hours?

Whether it’s for an appointment, bloodwork, group therapy session, groceries, just for fun, etc., we all have to leave our homes at some point or another — and accommodate our physical and mental health conditions and/or those of our loved ones when we do so.

Are there any health-specific preparations you have to make before leaving the house? Do you have any tips for going out into the world while living with health conditions?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

#MightyMinute #SpoonieLifeHacks #CheckInWithMe #Disability #ChronicIllness #RareDisease #Migraine #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Cancer #MentalHealth #Parenting #Caregiving #POTS #BipolarDisorder #CerebralPalsy

Happy Friday, friends!

With some folks gearing up for holiday celebrations over the next week, now seems as good a time as any to share our favorite coping mechanisms.

I think it’s fair to say we’re all familiar with the added stressors the holidays and end of the year can bring. Some of these stressors may seemingly spring up out of nowhere and exacerbate the symptoms of our health conditions. That’s why having a prepared list — whether it’s written, drawn, digital, or just lives in your mind — of coping strategies can make a world of difference. This means we won’t have to try to remember the strategies in the midst of heightened stress, anxiety, depression, flashbacks, dissociation, or any other time we find ourselves in situations beyond our control.

Our Mighty community is a resourceful one, so let’s try to come up with a list of coping mechanisms. If you’re up to it, share a coping mechanism that you already know helps you and another that you’re interested in trying. By giving and getting ideas, I’m sure we’ll be able to create a robust list of strategies we can use during the next week and beyond!

#MightyMinute #MentalHealth #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RareDisease #Disability #SpoonieLifeHacks #CheckInWithMe #PTSD #Parenting #Caregiving #Migraine #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #ADHD #Fibromyalgia #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #MultipleSclerosis

When our figurative cup is empty, it means our energy is depleted, we’ve run out of spoons, and we’re at a greater risk of burning ourselves out. Stress, mental and physical illness, overwhelming responsibilities, and trying to meet unreasonable expectations can all take away from our cup.

So what can we do to refill our cup? As cliché as it sounds, self-care can bring us back to baseline. It’s important to balance obligations and tasks that require us to pour from our cups with activities that bring us joy and replenish our energy. These activities might look like returning to a favorite hobby or getting a full night’s sleep.

Do you know what fills your cup? How can you make replenishing your cup part of your daily routine?

It’s important to note that what works for one person might not work for someone else. Our health conditions can also make it easier for our cups to empty, as well as more difficult to fill back up. It’s all about finding the balance that works for you. 💖

#MightyMinute #selfcare #MentalHealth #SpoonieLifeHacks #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #Fatigue #CheckInWithMe #Caregiving #Parenting #52SmallThings #RareDisease

I don’t know what I would’ve done without They Might Be Giants this year.

While I’d always been a casual fan of this alt-rock duo, I decided to do a deep dive into their discography this year, and I am so glad I did. From “Doctor Worm” to “Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet,” TMBG has been with me through every up and down this year (and this has been a rollercoaster of a year for sure). When I’m having an especially hard depression day, I know I can sing along to “Birdhouse in Your Soul” and feel a weight lifted off my shoulders, even if it’s only for five minutes. I can’t begin to count the number of times turning on my go-to TMBG playlist helped me take care of personal hygiene tasks. (Fun fact: “John Lee Supertaster” is exactly two minutes long, so it’s the perfect song to brush your teeth to!)

✨ I would love to hear from you: What books, movies, musical artists, songs, shows, or other media have helped your mental health this year?

#MightyMinute #CheckInWithMe #DistractMe #MentalHealth #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RareDisease #Disability #SpoonieLifeHacks #podcastpeeps #Depression #BipolarDisorder #Anxiety #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Insomnia #Dysautonomia

I was a bit stressed out before going to the dentist this morning. Despite going to a plethora of medical appointments with various specialists each month, dental appointments are always the ones that stress me out the most. This is especially true for routine cleanings, which happened to be what was on the docket today.

Luckily, I’ve developed a system to help alleviate some of the stress that comes with dental appointments. I live near my dentist’s practice, so I give myself extra time to get there and walk to my appointments. I queue up a new, light-hearted podcast episode to listen to on my walk, and I think about the coffee I’m going to order after my appointment. When I’m in the dental chair, I try to practice mindful breathing to calm my nerves. Once I’ve made it through the appointment, I walk to the coffee shop that’s several yards from the dentist’s office and pick up a delicious beverage and snack to bring back home.

This routine that surrounds my dental appointments has improved my experience with these stressful appointments and continues to help me stay motivated to go to the appointment and get my teeth taken care of.

What small changes have you made that help you get through stressful medical appointments? If you haven’t found anything that helps you, what tiny thing can you try during your next stressful appointment that might make it a little bit better?

#MightyMinute #CheckInWithMe #SpoonieLifeHacks #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #Anxiety #Depression #MentalHealth #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #Disability #RareDisease #Parenting #Migraine #Autism #ADHD #PTSD

As a kid (OK, and to this day), one of my favorite TV shows was the “Mary Tyler Moore Show.” The series followed Mary Richards as she pursued her independence by packing up her life and moving to Minneapolis to become an associate producer on the local TV station’s six o’clock news — all while impeccably dressed in beautiful ’70s styles that made her feel good and stand out. Skye’s mom would sing her the show’s theme song as a lullaby and together they coined the phrase “Have a Mary day!“.

What does it mean to have a “Mary day”? When you need to take on the world, put on an outfit that makes you feel your best and remind yourself that you are incredible. Even if you feel like garbage on the inside, put something on the outside that exudes confidence and makes you smile.

For me, painting on my favorite red lipstick and wearing some earrings helps me have a Mary day. Even if I wear my go-to sweatpants, I feel confident and ready to take on the world.

Share what helps you have a Mary day! And keep this lyric from the “Mary Tyler Moore Show” theme song in your head as you go through your day today: “You’re gonna make it after all.” ✨

#MightyMinute #CheckInWithMe #MentalHealth #DistractMe #RareDisease #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #SpoonieLifeHacks #Parenting #Fibromyalgia #Eczema #Erythromelalgia #Anxiety #Depression

We all try to do it - save, save, save! Let's share what helps you save your spoons (energy) and what takes your spoons away (zaps your energy).

Share your saving tips and maybe we can all benefit! #SpoonieLifeHacks

Rain, rain, go away! Do you experience chronic pain or migraine episodes when the weather isn’t great? I sure do. Today the barometric pressure dropped and it started drizzling after the weather forecast originally only called for a 30% chance of rain (jokes on me). That meant I had to take a nap and a triptan for my migraine immediately if I wanted to be able to keep working.

Is your pain affected by the weather? What are your pain management hacks? Sound off the in the comments below! I’d love to know what remedies you swear by. I’m always down to try something new!

#ChronicIllness #Migraine #ChronicPain #Disability #DistractMe #52SmallThings #Fibromyalgia #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #RheumatoidArthritis #SpoonieLifeHacks