Me....Enthusiastic? Yup.©

Norman Vincent Peale said, "Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow" and he also believed:  "Think excitement, talk excitement, act out excitement and you are bound to become an excited person.  Life will take on a new zest, deeper interest and greater meaning."

HELLO my friends!
As you know, this is a blog about THRIVING!
Thriving, not surviving...with Rheumatoid Arthritis or whatever ails you in life.

Today, I had an epiphany! It has been almost 2 years since my dx of RA.
Through trial and error, and four different meds, I am hopeful that my new medicine will put this bone and tendon eating visitor to sleep for a while.

Me...Enthusiastic?   Yup ~ that is WHO I AM.
Many people say, I used to be...before RA.   I feel, well I know, RA has stolen my joy, enthusiasm and excitement I had for life.    It is a broken and tired road, and many people got off the highway when it was getting rough.   That didn't help losing my joy for life.

However, I am not this visitor ~ RA, and I can't let this disease define me.
Not anymore.  Not this chick.   Sure my family and friends and I have to accept
the changes in my abilities and strength...but my light of enthusiasm is still shining.

I was BORN TENACIOUS, ENTHUSIASTIC, TOUGH and RESILIENT, and many times
have been told I was BUBBLY and the LIFE OF THE PARTY!

I have been so attached to my careers, my education, which took me 11 years to get,
and then my entrepreneurial spirit shined with Life Coaching!  It was hard to begin the acceptance process.  Starting my own business, knowing I needed a career to work with my body, which was breaking faster than I could get my business off the ground.   I did get a volunteer Teen Coaching program started 4 years ago.   That is my passion!   Talk about my light shining!  Those teens rock!

This life change had me feeling that I wasn't as worthwhile a person as I was before.
That's because I couldn't physically do my work, I was feeling like a failure.   Due to the severe change in my personal life, I sure felt like I had to be a boring person now.  I wasn't reliable, and mostly needed friends to come here.

I lost my enthusiasm for life ~ My "Je ne sais quoi".   Or perhaps I was just going through the process and accepting my new life.   Hello, it is a huge life changer.  Huge.
But I am seeing things clearer, and with hope.

So, my friends, what am I ~ what are we going to do about it?
I don't work now...I am officially "disabled".  A Type "A" with RA and a busy brain.

Does that make me any less of a friend than I was before I got sick?  Nope.

My brain works fine (well...), so I can blog, write a book (which I have started) spend time with friends and family, and rest and rejuvinate my body.

My volunteer program is ready for it's 4th year to coach Teen's to set and achieve goals.   Last year I had 100% goal attainment.   Not bad for a "dud".  :)

I just needed to go through this tough process and get over myself.   My family is 

wonderful and we embrace the simple life, for that I am blessed.

Me, enthusiastic again?! You Betcha!   Thank God!

Healing Hugs, 

Alicia

Happy New Year! I am going into remission this year...©

"You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination." ~ Ralph Martson


Hello my friends ~ 
You know, I started this blog
for one reason...well two
one, I am a writer, 
but the second is
that I wanted to help all of us with RA
THRIVE with this disease and do 
everything we can to live a great life.


I've been hit with "Life Happening"
but, everyone has had that too.
It is how you get through it.


So this is a little song I started 
singing to The Brit yesterday...


"I am going into remission this year
I'm going into remission this year!
This year it's my mission
I'm going into remission, 
I'm going into remission this year!


I'm going into remission this year
and I won't have any more fear!
And I am surely ending these tears!


I am going into remission this year
I'm getting my life back, my joy and 
smile back!
I'm going into remission this year!


I am going into remission this year!
Going on excursions, visiting my friends
having a social life~ smelling the fresh air!
I am going into remission this year!


I am going into remission this year!
Getting my life back, driving anywhere
watchout world ~ I am coming back!
I am going into remission this year!


I am going into remission this year
Perhaps wearing my beautiful shoes!
enjoying all of my life, 
I'll maybe even do a cartwheel or two!
I'm going into remission this year! 


So, my friends, it is my mission 
To go into remission...
I am going into remission 
This year!"  


Healing hugs, 
Alicia

Let me share with you what I do to thrive with RA! ©

“Once you make the unequivocal internal commitment to do something ~ when you absolutely know this is the time and the place to act ~ the world around you will shift in all sorts of apparently miraculous ways to make it happen.” ~ Sarah Susanka


Hello again, my friends!
I saw my doc today ~
shared with him my blog, 
our blog.


One of the pieces of advice 
he gave me was this...
"Tell them the inspiring 
things you do everyday, 
no matter what.   Explain 
to them how you do it and 
how they can do it too!"


Dr. K. thought a lot of my 
story, right now, although
difficult, is remarkable in 
that I am not giving up my 
workouts and daily routine.


So, my friends, I am going to 
lay it out for you and hope it helps you!

• No matter what ~ you must move your body.   There are great video's like Peggy Cappy - Yoga for Arthritis.   Perfect ~ even if all you can do is finger exercises...and they are awesome!
• Find a Yoga studio and meet with the instructor.   Even if yoga is not your "thing" ~ trust me when I say, I tried everything...and for 10 years, yoga is what I can consistently do ~ modified every day.   A great instructor will guide you to the appropriate classes...like Gentle Yoga.
• If you have a pet, go for walks.   If you don't ~ go for walks.  Bundle up and walk or Leslie Sansone has great walking tapes for people of all ages and builds.   Just move...  NOTE:  MY PRIOR PCP Told me that if I hadn't been doing yoga, my joints would've seized up a long time ago.   Use your muscles and joints....all of them!   
• Dance!  Play your favorite music and shake that booty of yours!   You'll smile and burn calories...but most of all, you will have fun.
• Find someone to hang with who likes to do these things with you...but if you must do it alone, that is fine too.    You will get to know yourself better, and really have an opportunity to ....
• Meditate.   Give it a go.   It is helpful...it really is.  Not just Savasana at the end of yoga.  Real Meditation.   Email me if you want some names of ones I like.
• Enjoy your friends and family at your pace ~ if they understand.
• Embrace each day as a blessing and a gift to unrap...not as "oh, I am sick again, or in so much pain."  Wait until you are loosened up enough and take out the mat to work out.   
• Make working out a DAILY GIFT to yourself.   Truly.  I have for over 10 years.   Modified, modified and then modified again.   But I NEVER quit....
• Finally ~ Never quit, and if you feel like it ~ email me and let's talk.  Share your fears and pain with those who know.   This is a Universally Isolating Disease.   I have been left alone by so many people that loved the "old me".   I am learning to accept the new me... I imagine it must be hard for them to accept the new me too.

Keep me posted on your progress!   Let me know what you do, and how it is working for you.   We all can learn so much from each other.    I love doing Chair Yoga now...because I didn't have to give up yoga or Down Dog.   You guys all know, I am not a QUITTER...and neither are YOU!  

Thriving with RA...we will.

Healing hugs, 

Alicia

You know, I know you know! ©

"You may never know what results come of your action, 
but if you do nothing there will be no result."
Mahatma Gandhi


Hello my friends!
It has been a while, 
and I have missed you all.
Truly.


I have truly missed writing.
Sometimes life throws you 
so much, that you feel like
"no way, I can't do that anymore!"


Yeah, that was how I was feeling
after my Mom passed away.
Just days after I began my new medicine
and I told my Ma that it would "cure me" 
and I could visit her more! 


Then my feet acted up and 
with all my mourning and pain
~ it was overwhelming, to put
it mildly.   Then the Holidays, 
Birthdays...


You know, I know you know.


Many of you tell me privately
that you couldn't even get out
the words I put out here.
Well here they are ~ pain and all.


I truly wasn't going to write again.
Figured, I was a "has been".
Lost my careers, losing more 
mobility, lost my biggest cheerleader
(who had chronic illness~my Ma)....
so why bother...
Plus, I was in a bad space.


You know, I know you know.


But I can't do that!  
I made a committment to you all.
That we could and would thrive 
with this disease.   
How could I leave you?
I just needed time.


You know, I know you know.


So, my dear friends, 
I am back!   
Maybe not writing as much 
as I did, or as quick...
But I am here...
Not giving up...or in.
I was thinking about it though.


You know, I know you know.


Healing hugs, 
Alicia 
PS... write away ... let us all know that you do know.  xo