This post does not contain affiliate links.
Link Party
Sheryl Chan over at A Chronic Voice is having another link party for September! I really enjoyed last month’s and hope you did, too! Here are September’s prompts:
Resisting
Learning
Struggling
Supporting
and Changing
These prompts are really challenging, Sheryl!! Here goes.
Resisting
According to bing.com, resist means “to try to prevent by action or argument; to struggle against someone or something.” I’ve become aware that I’m resisting exposing my heart so that it can heal and love again. I think I walled the pain off 11 years ago, when I left my abusive ex. I had six children to raise and no time for grief. Time doesn’t really heal wounds when we don’t actively work at doing what needs done for healing to happen. I don’t really know what will help at this point, but the opposite of resist is to welcome or accept. Can I welcome my emotional pain? Is my emotional pain somehow tied up with my physical pain?
Learning
I’m trying to learn all I can about IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and gut health. I’m so tired of daily stomach distress. So I’ve been reading Solving The IBS Puzzle by Sylvie McCracken and I’ve started a 23 day elimination diet to see if anything that I’m eating is causing it. This includes gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, fast food, and alcohol. I’m adding sugar to the list as I’ve noticed that I don’t feel well if I eat too much sugar. Also, since many people say that removing gluten helps with fibro and arthritis pain, I’m hoping that my pain gets better as well.
Struggling
I struggle with depression. I struggle with keeping truth and lies apart. Everyday is a wrestling with life as it is, compared with life as I long for it to be.
Supporting
As a parent of mostly adults and one teenager, I see my current mom role as one of listening and encouraging. In this way, I support or shore up my children as they find their way in this world.
Changing
Doing an elimination diet is HARD! I am so resistant to change even when it’s for my good. Why do we keep following the same old paths when it’s obvious that those paths aren’t working for us anymore? I wonder if the caterpillar fights the change to turn into a butterfly? Do infants panic as they are forced out of the womb? Is it possible to welcome change? So many questions.
Your Turn
What answers would you give to these word prompts? Share your answers below in the comments! We would love to hear from you!
Subscribe below for the bimonthly newsletter plus access to subscriber-only freebies. You may unsubscribe at any time, but I’d be thrilled if you stuck around.
You may read my Privacy Policy here.
Till next time, Kathy
Wow, I can’t imagine trying to raise 6 kids on my own and the amount of stress that would have created! Glad you’re willing to try an elimination diet. It’s amazing what gluten can do to us. It’s so important to fix our gut since that’s so tied into the rest of our health. I hope you’re successful in finding out what foods are creating the toll on your body.
Hiya, I thought this was a really interesting post. A lifestyle change is always really hard but well done for taking that first step. I hope the diet works out for you and helps your symptoms. I can sympathise with the arthritis pain as I have bad back pain from my back condition (scoliosis). I’ve never thought about removing gluten before to help with pain, maybe it’s something I could also try in the future. Best of luck!
Louise
Thank you for reading and commenting. I left a comment on your site. Hoping the numbness doesn’t affect your running.
Enjoyed reading these. It’s refreshing to hear such honest responses. Good luck with the elimination diet. I imagine that’s tough going cutting out all of those things. Hopefully it’ll help and you’ll find some answers. I’ve found it’s a case of trial and error as to what has helped my IBS symptoms. I’ve pretty much cut out dairy and I’ve reduced gluten substantially. It’s made a big difference for me though I still get the odd flare. We’re all so different though and what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for another! Good luck
Thanks Emma for reading and commenting!
Great post! I also am supporting adult children. Listening is what they seem to love most.
Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment!!
Haha…I’ll keep your comment in mind for next month’s prompts…it shall be a little more light-hearted! 😉 Having said that, I really enjoyed reading your entry, it was very thought-provoking. Especially about resistance…I didn’t think about it that way. Very interesting connections. Wishing you well and hope that things really do change for the better at the end of the month 🙂 I’ll check in again 😉