MIA

I suspect that I am not the only one to suffer from MIA (Monday Induced Anxiety). This seldom-discussed ailment strikes at various times during the weekend, but tends to peak on Sunday evenings. The cause is stress incurred from the anticipation of the upcoming week. Symptoms include:
* irritability
* insomnia
* fatigue
* changes in appetite

Severity of symptoms increase in direct proportion to the amount of time taken off before returning to work on Monday.

Speaking from personal experience, I am usually stressing about the vast amount of work I have to do, the questionable amount of energy I have to do the vast amount of work, changes to the routine, preparing for upcoming events, and the details involved with managing a home. It may not be just a coincidence that a majority of my flares begin on a Monday!

I wish I could be Zen and just let go of all these expectations and pressure I put on myself to get stuff done.  Then maybe MIA wouldn't bother me so much. I know during the summer, I rarely suffer any MIA symptoms!

These are the things that I do to help alleviate the symptoms:
* Have my classroom completely ready for Monday morning. That way I don't have to rush to get to school early to finish anything needed for the day.
* Packing lunches the night before. I ALWAYS tell myself "I can do this in the morning." And I ALWAYS kick myself the next morning when I didn't do it the night before.
* Packing the gym bag. On Mondays, that means having yoga clothes ready.
* Having my purse/bag full of stuff needed for class on Monday together so I can just grab and go
* Locate my keys. They always seem to take trips on the weekend when I'm not looking.
* Take a few minutes to just focus on breathing.

Once I get going at work, I am generally so busy that all the things I was anxious about fade to the background. Until I get home on Monday evening.......

Do you suffer from MIA? How do you treat it?

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One of those days

No matter how much I exercise, how well I stick to a healthy diet, how much water I drink, I still have bad days.

It's very frustrating.

Today is one of those days. It is not a high pain day, but the fatigue is overwhelming. It also couldn't have come at a worse time. I truly can not afford to be less than 100% today, and I can not take the day off. If I push myself too hard, I will pay for it later and longer.

The only way I can get through this day is to move gently, and trust that everything that "needs" to happen today will get done. Let go of my expectations. Put out extra coloring work, be generous with snack servings, speak less. Most importantly, remember to BREATHE.

How do you deal with work obligations when Fibro symptoms get in the way?

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5FF: Holiday Shopping

*5 things. About Fibro. Every Friday*

My Favorite Places to Shop for the Holidays

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  I spent many, many years in retail before becoming an educator. During my retail days, most of my holiday purchases came from the store where I worked. I was just too tired to go other places during the holidays to shop! When I left retail, I vowed to have my shopping done by December 1 so that I could enjoy the season, and avoid the crowds. Fast forward to today, my first official Christmas with Fibromyalgia. I still want to get my shopping done by December 1, but I do not have the energy to go out and hit the stores. What's a girl to do? Shop online, of course!  (For an extra fee, many will wrap your gift as well) So today I though I would share some of my favorite online retailers.

1.  North Star Bison: This fab company will ship non-GMO, grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic-free buffalo to your door! They have a great gift selection as well as buying specific cuts of meat. Don't want bison? They also carry beef, chicken and lamb.

2.  The Body Shop:  I fell in love with this store when I lived in London. As much as I would love to go to London to stock up on fair trade beauty products, they now have retail locations across the US, as well as an online presence. I highly recommend the Satsuma line of products -citrusy goodness in a bottle!

3.  Stubby Pencil Studio:  Eco-friendly art supplies and stationery for children. Well, they say it's for children, but I want these things for my personal art stash! They have kits as well as supplies. I LOVE the paste imported from Italy -a great glue for those of us who miss Elmer's paste pots.

4.  Heifer International:  My favorite charity gift! Your money helps to buy animals for communities around the world (including the USA).  These are not hand-outs. The animals not only help improve nutrition, but provide an income source. Don't worry if you don't have a lot to give -your money can be pooled with other donations to buy more expensive animals. My favorite is the llama share.

5.  Barnes & Noble:  It's not just books! Games, toys, movies, and more. You could easily buy something for everyone from here. In fact, for many years all my holiday gifts came from here  :-P

Now, go make yourself a cup of tea, get comfy on the sofa, and start shopping!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with any of these retailers, I just love their products. I have an immediate family member who works for one of these companies, so any purchases made  indirectly affects me.

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