Success, tenacity and resilience

Checking my e-mail today I came across this little gem from Jon at Moodscope...

"Success... ...isn't about brilliance - it's much more to do with tenacity and resilience. The ability to keep to your path single-mindedly when distractions are all about you. And the power to spring back into shape after things get bent out of shape.

It's all-too easy to give up when things go wrong. But where does that get you?

Tenacity and resilience will go a long way towards getting you through whatever life throws at you."

This is useful advice for everyone, but it's also something for the CFSer to bear in mind. Some days we all feel like giving up, we're fed up with being worn out and in pain.  But if you stay focussed on what you want to achieve, then you'll be that step closer to getting there.  

Nature's bounty.

Time passes, but sometimes it's mighty slow, especially when there's nothing much doing. Inactivity, especially when it's forced upon us as it is with CFS, can be very mentally straining. I'm a great fan of the natural world. Being able to observe wildlife and the weather is one of the things that has helped me keep my equilibrium throughout my illness. 

In the mood

How are you today? Ok? Happy? Sad? Depressed?

For CFSers depression is an added insult, likely brought on as a result of our battles for recognition for our illness, for medical help, for employment rights, for financial assistance and for self-respect.

It's not surprising that because of all we go through, that we become vulnerable to and victims of depressive illness. In my case I suffered because I could not see a way forward. I felt like I was going to be seriously ill for ever. Rollo May puts it well...

CFS - like climbing Everest in heels.

I'd like to think I'd been smart enough to think up that title on my own, but I think that I must have stolen it from somewhere else, rarely am I that original!

In a rare switch from my optimistic nature, today I am going to tell you some of my less cheery thoughts on CFS. As the title says, having CFS can be like climbing Everest in heels.