CALMING, RELAXING WITH MS
I believe all with MS will find out sooner or later that getting "brain control"/emotional control can be so vital to help with ongoing , progressive MS symptomolgy. In Sept 2026 get to 45 yrs since first MS FlareUp ( 18yrs old in1st college simestet). So, my experiences with MS are indeed many & with personality & history of being an overachiever, had to so quickly had to learn to navigate differently as dealing with unpredictability. Initially, as much physical activity as I could pack in a day served so well to calm metabolism outbursts of anger (& ramifications thereafter) & let me know (think) I was still in control & being an accomplisher still existed, being the best mode of taming stress for yrs.
As days, yrs continued & more physical limitations ensued, had to focus more on meditation & whatever music was indeed calming, rejuvenating ( and these in specific remain what I need to keep very high priority & remain so effective & moreso in recent times). Supportive family & friends have not always been available to me, tho, exercising as much as possible thru the years, meditating, singing, having pets have all added to my ability to deal with all kinds of stress along this MS journey & received so many comments, observations from.others that showed them surprising resilience & endurance. . . There does remain times of feeling very overwhelmed with physical torture of extreme sensory nerve excitation daily( electric current-like impulses all over body= much stronger than "pins & needles" & body contortions from insane spasticity now head to toe). I have to give so much credit to whom I consider to be the best counselor in the world- one who always gives me free reighn with topic of discussions & acts as my verbal "punching bag"-=another current main source for more comfortable survival, so needed. Otherwise, we need to investigate whatever stress relievers presented to us in any way & that has worked for others ( no matter how odd the 'thot' of some ideas may seem initially ). ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, YOU WILL REALIZE HOW MUCH INNER STRENGTH YOU HAVE; JUST BELIEVE IT & HANG ON TO IT! CIRCUMSTANCES MAY OR MAY NOT CHANGE, BUT, FINDING OUT THAT YOU CAN ENDURE IS IN ITSELF A "PAT ON THE BACK" FOR YOU; PRAISE YOURSELF FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS & KEEP "SELF TALK" AS POSITIVE AS POSSIBLE!!!
Thanks for this encouraging message. It does sometimes feel like too much to handle. The things that get me through: meditation, yoga, whatever form of exercise works (have had to be flexible with this but movement always helps), and adapting as necessary in order to stay in the world and connected to other people. There's so much joy to be had despite challenges. Well done for your persistence and endurance--keep it up.
I agree. This story really highlights how important it is to be open to adapting and adjusting. And I think that’s the hardest part for a lot of people because that can be such a frustrating thing to do time and time again. But again, being patient with ourselves and giving ourselves grace will be the forest that carries us all through day-to-day. -Latoya (Team Member)
This is absolutely a beautiful reflection. I can truly tell that you’ve had to pivot, adjust, learn, and go through a cycle of rebuilding yourself and your confidence through your journey and I commend you for how you’ve gone through so much with so much strength. I especially liked your reminder to stay open to trying different things and to be patient with yourself along the way. Whether it’s exercise, meditation, music, therapy, or something else, finding what helps you get through the hard days is so important. Living with MS isn’t easy, and it’s important to recognize the strength it takes to keep adapting and moving forward. Thanks for sharing what’s helped you over the years. I know it will encourage someone else 🧡 All the best to you, Latoya (Team Member)
