Healing asks for changes

Over time I began to notice that my fatigue symptoms would grow stronger in certain situations. It was not random and unpredictable as I had first thought, it was just that symptoms were directly connected to my emotional body as well.

I learnt that through exacerbated symptoms, my deeper self was actually trying to give me a message. It was pointing me towards some unresolved psychology. A pattern of behaviour that was not valuing myself.

This book on Reverse Therapy by John Eaton is one of the best places to start in order to understand the link between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia symptoms and deeper messages.

Reverse therapy was the turning point for me. Certain situations and feelings were inviting me to take on a newer, more wholesome way of being in the world. To learn to speak up for myself, to implement boundaries where necessary and generally to listen to my body and follow my joy.

Pushing through

After a lifetime of pushing my body to achieve, my body had no tolerance left for pushing through. It now seems obvious – pushing myself to meet external demands or goals was NOT loving and valuing myself.

There was a simple solution to reversing the over-achiever in me. Learning to take pauses. I began to learn to pause and listen acutely to what the body was asking me to do in each and every moment. This wasn’t always socially acceptable but I did it anyway!

As I began to walk again, I needed short pauses very frequently. This even involved sitting on the tiled floor of the supermarket, pausing until my body told me I could move. As I listened acutely and tended to my body’s needs, symptoms began to lift.

How much do you tolerate?

One of the other predecessors to my illness was that I had learnt to tolerate too much from others. I didn’t properly understand my worth, and allowed others to treat me poorly without speaking up for myself.

This could look like people being repeatedly late and despite being upset not revealing to them how I was feeling. Reverse therapy was the missing link that showed me how to interpret what my body was telling me and to take on new, more assertive behaviours.

Non violent communication is a lifeline

Over the years I have been learnt to actually STOP and ask myself what I am feeling. I regularly find a quiet space, go within and ask myself:

“What are you feeling?” “Ohh, why are you feeling……?” “What do you need?”

I will communicate my feelings with others. This helps me to be more authentic and to create more connection with them. I am practicing being vulnerable and telling others when I am feeling hurt as a result of something they have or have not done.

My old pattern of sitting back and pretending that everything is okay, or avoiding someone who has hurt me is not serving my healing, nor others awakening. Non violent communication has taught me to be responsible for my feelings and to share them in a compassionate way. Please see this great description of non violent communication.

I AM valuable. I AM responsible for my energy and my energy only. I AM NOT responsible for others.

I always have the power to place limits on what I will and will not put myself through. I have learnt to say NO. I remember, I AM VALUABLE.

Some questions to leave you with….

Do you do things that you don’t really want to do?

Do you reveal how you are feeling to others and speak up for your needs?

This is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.