It’s safe to say that there are a lot of things that happen not only in my life, but others which are largely out of our control. As someone that is largely a control freak, who likes to (and needs to be organised) the things that upset and annoy me the most are health related, when people don’t pay me when they say they’re going too and the weather.
All of these things are out of my control for the most part, because they involve someone or something else. Let me explain.
Health
My MS is so unpredictable and just when I think I have a hold on things, have made changes to my diet and lifestyle, am taking what I think are a great combination of medications and supplements, getting the right about of heat and don’t commute when it’s hot, out of no where BAM new symptoms present themselves.
Over the past few weeks (today included as I’m killing time before I go in for a 90 minute MRI) I’ve started to get back into having my health and well -being managed by professionals. Yep, back the so Drs, and this time I’m seeing a Professor of Neurology. I liken it to having a full service and tune up and they’re running a number of tests to see what’s going on with my body and disease, so we get a progress report of sorts to then look at what treatment is the best course of action moving forward.
If this has taught me anything, it’s these 3 things – No matter how in control of your body you think you are, when living with a chronic illness, you’re not calling the shots. You need to roll with the punches and if something happens, you just have to deal with it, be upset or angry for a moment then get on with it. Be patient. Getting an answer or even in to see a DR is not instant. They’ll call, contact you or advise you when you need to know. Stress is evil when it comes to any illness or anyone’s life really. Being stressed over something you can’t control just makes shit worse… Try not to be stressed out and it wont seem as bad.
Money
One of my recent clients are Sydney Financial Planning, who are amazing. In light of me working with them, so I’ve a better understanding of their business and what they do, I’ve been attending weekly sessions with them which are really insightful. When it comes to money, there is this negative stigma attached in that we don’t discuss it. It’s not the “said thing” and really we ought to be having that conversation. Managing your money, having a good relationship with it and actually learning it’s worth are sooooo important and ought to be something that’s taught to all kids and part of the curriculum.
They’ve taught me that largely a lot of our relationship with money stems from our parents habits and their values (whether good or bad) and that when we look at it from a Psychological and behavioral approach that’s when we’ll be more successful in how we save, spend, use it and also what it means to us. Seriously go and see them!! They’ll change your life (and for the much better)..
One of my biggest sore points has always been that I never wanted to make a point of asking my clients for them to pay my invoices or that I was possibly not seeing my own value and worth. My time is money right? It’s time I could be spending on other stuff. We don’t sell a physical product but a service. A large part of my learning has been to realise that my brain, advice and what I do IS of value and others benefit from that.
I’ve had to get tougher, have some more structure in place and I have an awesome accounts team who now ensure that things operate and tick away in the background. I never wanted to bother people who owed me money (while they were off on holidays mind you) because I didn’t want to “impose”. Wait a minute, why should I have to wait when the works been done and you’ve off on vacation? Surely this is every sore point of every contractor.
I have learnt that unless I speak up, then nothing will change and that being stressed out over money isn’t how we should live our lives.
Weather
How often do we let the weather influence the mood we’re in? But seriously this is sooooooo out of our control, that why do we bitch and moan about something we can’t control? We complain it’s too hot (I hate the heat but because it fucks with my MS), we complain it’s humid, it’s hot, it’s cold, it’s raining. Is it really worth us having our day ruined over? Are we really running out of shit to post on FB and update our statuses over? Surely not! Just go with it, dress accordingly, take an umbrella or if you’re walking home and have no where to be, indulge your inner child and jump in those puddles or get wet. So not worth getting pissy over.
I’ve learnt to take a super chill pill over these things and actually enjoy it for what it is, that and every night I’ve started to meditate and do some really cool guided hypnosis for a number of things. Does it work ? I like to think so, and every day now, rather than bitch and moan about the things above I’m grateful for what I do have, I have received, I am doing and pretty well I’ve actually been able to get up out of bed that day.
So…. Maybe if we all just cut the shit, stopped complaining, showed a little gratitude and went about our days in a positive way hoping to get something out of our day, then I’m pretty sure you just might start to see things that way…
Love your comments on what you do, if you try it or if there is something that works for you.
Peace out peeps!
Chrissy