Greetings, readers! Today's post is definitely going to be about dealing with health challenges. And by definitely, I mean sort of. I've spent most of my day getting ready for my toddler class that I teach at church tomorrow and getting ready for camp, so this will be less wordy. I think. Yay for you!
I've been thinking about this lately because I tend to get bogged down in the stuff of life. I feel guilty and frustrated when I have sick days, and so I try to compensate by putting myself on a schedule, or trying to be disciplined about doing "important" things. Now, don't get me wrong, discipline is a good thing. And we all need some structure in our lives. But I allow it to trump everything, so I end up doing doing doing, then getting sick sick sick. It's a stupid cycle.
People who suffer from chronic illness have a hard time with having fun the way we used to. Sometimes our bodies don't work the way we want them to. Sometimes we're too tired. Sometimes we're too mentally tired. But I think we should make whatever effort we can to do things that we enjoy.
I think hobbies are an important thing for the person who is chronically ill. Having a hobby can give us a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, and when you choose the right ones for you, they can be super fun! Remember that your abilities might be limited, so choose something challenging but not frustratingly so, and remember to give yourself some grace! It doesn't have to be perfect to be enjoyable.
I am a very creative and artistic person, though I don't consider myself to be an artist. I love music, and I enjoy playing instruments, although I admit it is something I have neglected, especially since I had surgery. I am planning on incorporating music into my life again soon. I used to play the flute and for years I played nearly every day, but then I stopped, because I wasn't playing for people anymore. But I realize now that doesn't matter - I enjoy it for the sake of doing it, so it doesn't need to be for other people. And I really love to play hymns, so it's an excellent way to worship God and reflect on the words of the hymns as I play!
My latest creative hobby has been drawing and painting. I love it! I'm not a bit good at it, but I don't care. I find that it is something I particularly enjoy doing at night when I am by myself - I usually use a photo or something as inspiration, or I will look on the internet for some instruction when I don't know how to do it. And I can use my lap desk and sit on my bed, all cozy with the heating pad and an audiobook. Crazy times, I tell ya. Anyway, there are so many ways we can be creative, even with limited abilities.
What about you? Do you have a musical instrument you could dust off and play, simply for the pleasure of making music? What other ways do you express your creativity, and what hobbies do you enjoy the most? Please share with me in the comments, or follow me on Facebook, and let's have a conversation!
Here is a drawing of mine: I will share it with you, so you can see you don't have to be a great artist to enjoy making art!
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