New Year, New Dreams

I usually think about a new year's resolution-- sometimes I keep it, sometimes I break it... This year I did not so much make a resolution, as set the intention to follow my dreams and opportunities wherever they might lead.

I have let MS, the shoulds and musts dictate far too much of my life for too long but in the last year or so I have really been trying to follow my dreams and to enjoy life as much as possible. I think it is paying off in health and happiness.

As I move into the year, I don't want to let anything hold me back. I want to wait on recording my latest ambitions, but I do have my sights set on getting out of public school teaching sooner than later and embracing a life choice that allow my to focus on yoga, acro and aerial dance.

Guest Post by Melanie Bowen

Setting Goals and Improving Health

An excellent quality of life is an important step of improving health and beating any type of sickness. Whether the prognosis is a rare cancer like mesothelioma or a long-term chronic disease like diabetes, taking time to set goals and write down accomplishments can result in benefits to any patient. Quality of life is not about being a patient; rather, it is about setting goals, taking steps to achieve the goals and then writing down the accomplishments.

Helping Health:

The National Cancer Institute points out that setting short term and long term goals can help take the mind off illness. By taking measures to remove the stress of constantly thinking about sickness, it is possible to improve quality of life throughout the day and week. Start you path to healing by setting personal goals.

Setting small daily goals is a key component to helping make quality of life better. Small goals might include fitting in a little extra exercise, trying something new for stress relief or even reading a chapter of a book for relaxation—all of which aid recovery.

Setting Long Term Goals:

Having long term goals gives hope and confidence. By having a few goals to look forward to reaching, it is possible to forget the problems and work toward something worthwhile. Whether the goal is something like having a child or something like graduating from school, it helps manage the situation.

The National Cancer Institute suggests that while long term goals are important to plan, it might also require some flexibility based on the situations that might arise.

Writing Accomplishments:

As goals are met, it is important to write it down as an accomplishment. This applies to both the short-term goals of a day or two and the long-term goals that might be months away. Writing down what was accomplished helps keep the mind focused on the positives rather than the negatives.

Having a reminder of the accomplishments goes further than just noting that a goal was met. It brings the focus on reaching set goals and working toward something as well as possible under the circumstances. It also provides motivation to continue trying to reach further goals and keep setting new tasks to reach toward as quality of life improves.

Goals and accomplishments are more than just a list of things to try before death: they are hope that life will continue on long beyond the estimates of doctors. Severe illnesses like cancer or diabetes might seem scary at first, but working toward something helps improve the situation for a better lifestyle while undergoing traditional treatment.

“Melanie Bowen is an awareness advocate for natural health and holistic therapies. You will often find her highlighting the great benefits of different nutritional, emotional, and physical treatments on those with illness in her efforts to increase attentiveness and responsiveness on like topics"

The latest

Another day off-- thank goodness. I have been super-busy with work and preparing for my next aerial show this weekend.

I went and saw my neurologist last week and she said I was doing "great" and that I don't need to see her again until next year. I also don't need to get another MRI until June so things on the health front are still looking up.

I continue to balance my busy schedule with plenty of rest and a prayer I don't catch the latest bug :) Honestly, some days I feel better than others. I still tire easily, but I can feel my stamina building. All my aerial training is making me increasingly strong and flexible.

Yesterday one of my yoga students (a social work student)asked to interview me about the mind-body connection. I spent some time thinking about it, and then I told her the story of my diagnosis and how that period in my life forever changed my relationship with my body and my overall life view. I have said it here before, but every day is a gift. I really understand the importance of being present, enjoying the moment, and seizing opportunities when I can seize them. I also told her that I have found that when my mind is in a good place (I feel happy,) my health also seems to be better. When I am living with joy, I can do more both physically and mentally. If that does not give evidence of the mind-body connection, I'm not sure what does. My awareness of my mortality, of the fleetingness of health and physical ability, makes my life richer. If I thought I had forever to do these things, I think they might mean less, knowing that I need to make the most of the moment, makes the moment more precious.

Living Fiercely

I still vividly remember a time during the first year after I was diagnosed where life was colorless-- all just a bunch of "what ifs" and struggle to survive. I also remember talking one day with my then husband, and realizing that I no longer had any real dreams or desires. Everything I did was somehow based in fear. I worked so I could pay my bills. I rested so I could be well enough to work, and I fought tooth and nail just to keep what I had--continually wondering if it was even worth the cost to my physical and mental health. He asked me about my bucket list and I was painfully aware that I didn't even have one.

Fast forward three years from that moment... I find myself in an entirely different state of mind. I work to live, but i don't live to work. I still work hard but I am prioritizing my activities. It can be all work all the time so now I go to aerial dance and fantasize about joining the circus. I have stopped saying no to every invitation and every activity outside of my job. I am about to turn 35 and I have a bucket list that is alive and well. My new priority, having fun doing things I love.

Last night I crossed a new item off my bucket list when I performed my first aerial dance routine. When I came home and looked at the photos, I told my roommate, "I look fierce." I love feeling like a bad ass :) If MS has taught me nothing else, "Carpe Diem."

Balancing Act

The school year has started with a bang (I'm a teacher) and this is definitely busy season. Right now at 6:00 am on a Sunday, I'm stealing a guilty minute away from the work to right a quick update.

This time of year is always a health challenge. I have yet to get through it without a relapse but this year, so far, so good (knock on wood). As always, my secret weapon is a balance of rest and work. Sleep is my trusty side-kick-- we try to spend 10-14 quality hours together every day. Sleep used to be something I squeezed in around all the activity, now I squeeze the activity in around all the sleep. This year's plan involves a little nap every day and a good 3-4 hour chunk on Saturdays.

The balancing challenge here is fitting in the fun stuff. I haven't made any trash art in a few weeks but I have gotten out to a few aerial dance classes. I have also still been teaching my full yoga schedule but I gave up my desk shift in favor of more rest time. Now I can be home for the night by no later than 6:30 on any night. When do I go to bed you ask? 7:30-- but I'm still not old (lol). Can an old person still balance on just their arms?

Hangin' out

What a fun summer-- Trash art and aerial dance!

What I have been up to

So far it has been a fun and busy summer. In June I attended two different trainings. The first was a "writer's workshop" where along with other teachers, I learned more about teaching writing. The second workshop was put on by EL Achieve, an organization that trains ELA (English language acquisition) teachers like myself. While I was there, I trained to lead their workshops for other teachers in the future. It was very empowering to be treated as a teacher leader again.

July has been a mix of action and down time. I ended June and started July with a week at the Naropa summer Writing Program in Boulder. I wrote my "Legacy" poem while I was there. I also created a bunch of other new work.

At the end of June I worked a kids birthday party with my roommate where she ballooned and I taught Little Animals yoga and face painted. We teamed up again on July 4th for more balloons and face painting. This (face painting) is a new passion for me. I am learning as I go.

Lately I have been resting a lot, recovering from all my adventures, getting organized and experimenting with the construction of "trash art". This is shaping up to be an excellent summer.

Click on each of the links to see my fun in action!