Pity Party- Table for One Please

This week’s post was supposed to be called “New Year, New Me” and be a reflection of the past year and to talk about where I’m headed. But in the spirit of always keeping it real, I did a 180.

Last night I had a very bad bout of neuralgia. It was triggered by the extreme cold and wind, one of my biggest pain triggers. You see, our dog was sick and I was the only one home with her so I had to make numerous potty trips outside with her. Add on to that a pressure-filled work day and the topper, my acupuncture appointment, which has been a God-send, actually made things worse.

Driving home from my acupuncture appointment, I was feeling pretty low. I had pain in the top of my head that felt like someone was tapping a nail into it. I had pain near my right cheekbone that felt like someone was pressing as hard as they could on my cheek and I had shooting pains up the back of my neck. These pains are nothing new to me, but I haven’t had them in a while and truthfully, I forgot how bad it hurt and how it made me feel.

As I drove through Valley Forge park, heat blaring in my car, scarf still wrapped around my head, I began to feel sad and angry. That’s just about the time I started to host a pity party, table for one, in my mind. I started to think, I am so tired of having to live my life like this. Will I really have to live the rest of my life like this? If so, it’s going to be a long long life.

When I got home, I grabbed a quick bit to eat and went up to bed. I turned out the lights, turned the TV on low, got my head to place where it was most comfortable and then I waited for the acupuncture to start doing its job and the pain to start going away. Sometimes it works, and sometimes I have to take my prescription medication. Acupuncture is not a cure, it’s meant to help reduce my pain frequency and duration.

And this is when the mental shift took place. We all deserve to indulge in a pity party every once in a while. A good cleansing cry. An angry fit. Whatever it takes to keep on keepin’ on. But what we cannot do is become a victim of our circumstances. If I choose to feel sorry for myself every time I don’t feel good, it is going to be a long long life, but if I choose instead to be grateful for every moment, the good and the bad, it’s going to be a long wonderful life, because that is what I choose to make it.

A few years ago, my cubicle buddy Debbie turned me on to this quote by Martha Washington- “I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition”.

I have always admired Deb’s sunshiny optimism, in spite of the circumstances she faced. It’s something I’ve tried to put this into practice whenever I can. Whatever you are facing this week, do not be a victim of your circumstance, be a champion of your destiny. The power is yours. The choice is yours. The chance is yours. The opportunity is yours. Every day is a fresh start- take it for all it’s worth and make it into something good.

Ask for help, make a choice, commit to the choice and continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara