#WednesdayWisdom Living with severe rheumatoid arthritis and chronic pain presents its own unique set of challenges every day. But instead of focusing on the pain, use it to strip away the things in life that are bringing you down.
For me, living with severe rheumatoid arthritis means living with pain every day. Even when I’m not experiencing a flare, all of the damage that’s already been done to my body presents its own set of challenges. It’s not something that I can control. Some days, the pain is more intense than others — you can find ways to manage it, but it never goes away.
Some days, it’s incredibly frustrating. It’s easy to fall into the trap of self-pity and anger. Every once and awhile, that’s ok! You have to allow yourself those “bad days.”
But I’ve also found that living with chronic pain has allowed me to look at things in a different light.
I’ve found that, instead of dwelling on the pain itself, or the things I can’t do in that moment, I can focus my thoughts and energy on the things I can do — and celebrate simple accomplishments and small victories.
To refine something is to “remove impurities or unwanted elements from (a substance).” My pain has enabled me to strip away the other things in my life that frustrate me or bring me down. On those tough days, remember — it’s enough to say you not only persevered, but survived. And sometimes, that alone is worth celebrating. 🙏❤️
#PSNeverGiveUp
#RAwarrior #NeverGiveUp #fortitude #perseverance #arthritisawareness #chronicillness #survivor #thrivetogether
