It’s the little things that count with chronic fatigue syndrome & fibromyalgia

Everyone with chronic illness grieves for what they have lost.  With chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) It is easy to become absorbed by thoughts of all the things that you can no longer do.  Continuing to view your situation from this perspective will make it difficult to move beyond anger and despondency. It may seem impossible to focus on what you can do when most of the time you are fatigued or in pain, and are confronted again and again by what you cannot do.

However, it is important to keep focusing on what you can do, no matter how insignificant it may see: perhaps having a shower or getting dressed for the day, doing a breathing exercise, picking a flower or reading one small section of a book. No matter how small, what you have managed is an achievement nonetheless, and often has required great courage and perseverance. We can take encouragement from the words of Mother Teresa: “Don’t look for big things, just do small things with great love.” In a world that is action-packed, the little things can be overlooked.

Letting go of our feelings of despondency just for a moment in order to accomplish some small thing, is in itself, an act of great love. Commend yourself on whatever your accomplishments are, no matter how small they may seem. Surrounded by reminders of what you cannot do, it is essential to feed yourself encouragement on a daily basis.

Adapted from Marg’s book: Longing to Live: Journey with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia