A Chronic Voice: May Link-Up

I’ve missed a few Link-Ups recently but keen to get back into doing A Chronic Voice ‘s Monthly Prompts. I love seeing what themes Sheryl has come up with. This May Link-Up focuses on the following themes;

• Regrouping
• Investigating
• Boosting
• Setting
• Reviving

Regrouping

For me, this whole year is about regrouping. I basically lost last year to illness and being signed off work so my biggest focus this year is recovery and rediscovering my ‘normal’. Whilst i’ve certainly still got all the fun of my various life long conditions, unlike last year, they’re not all that I have.

Going back to work had to be done in stages- with my building up my hours and dealing with how exhausted doing anything has made me. Mentally, getting used to working again was tough too and I had to try to remind myself that it was okay to take my time.

My fitness of course also took a huge plummet from 8 months of bedrest. Before last year I was loving the gym and pole dancing. Now i’m slowly building up my fitness and strength again with yoga and home workouts. I hope to be back on the pole a few months down the line.

Investigating

I love to learn. I was a kid who enjoyed studying (except maths) at school and I still get a kick from learning new things. Investigating new subjects and areas helps keep my mind active and keeps me exploring new possibilities. I’m especially keen on doing this is a short course or diploma method as I find set studying easier.

I recently completed a Diploma in Mental Health in the workplace and am currently studying one in Candle Making as a Business to help with my future online candle store. I’m sure i’ll study more in the future- it’s just nice to keep broadening my horizons.

Boosting

This year I hope to boost my creativity and send of self. Last year it felt like all I was was illness and it’s wonderful to remind myself that i’m more than that. I’m my love of books, art, games, friends and all the rest. The more I do a little bit of things I love, the more myself I feel.

In particular, my candle making feels like such a creative boost and I love doing that. We’re adding a store section to the site and i’m almost ready to start selling them now!

Setting

Setting my own limits is something I really struggle with. I’m sooo bad for getting super into things and going a hundred miles a minute and burning out so much i set off all my existing medical issues and end up in a flare.

Trying to break down the things I love to do into energy amounts and accepting I can’t do all that I used to do it hard but so necessary. I know a lot of chronically ill people struggle with pacing and setting limits. Many of us feel like we should be doing more- but have to accept that our bodies aren’t quite so accommodating!

Reviving

My cosplay (costume making) is also having a nice revival this year. After falling quite outside the main con scene and feeling a bit ‘done’ with it, i’m planning a few costumes and starting to enjoy it again. For a while it started feeling more like something I ‘had’ to do and it killed my love for it a bit.

This year i’ve already made two costumes for myself and my partner and have another planned for a convention in July. Reviving my love for something which has been a decent size part of my life for over a decade is a nice feeling. Just accepting how much energy these things now take of my more limited supply is a different task!

These May Link-Up topics have been great to work through as always. Thanks to A Chronic Voice! for coming up with them. You can read my last Link Up entry Here

Laters,

Ruthy xo

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