Options…

 

 

ALS Fact of the Day~

Today may be significant for some of you. Or the hours may have ticked by just like any another day. Maybe you didn’t give much thought to today, but you have been making plans now that summer is coming, and you are looking forward to the things that include BBQ’s, fireworks, sunshine and water!

It is the first of May!

And just like every year on this day: It is the national day to kick off the campaign for ALS Awareness…

This is also the third time I will be reminded of this date’s significance.

I’ll be honest…I will more than likely do what I do every time it is ALS Awareness Month. I will make resolutions to do something to bring attention to the disease Every.Single.Day! And just like every year, I will make it about a week or so before I have petered out, and my attention has been lost.

Please don’t take that personally. I do care about ALS, and all the families this disease has affected. But I also care about other things as well.

So this month, I will once again attempt to write something every day…(knowing myself well enough to know that the chances of me following through with that resolution is about as good as me saying that I will exercise every day, no matter what! Or the times I tell myself I will quit drinking wine…only to start again at least a couple months later…or the time I told myself that I would always fold the laundry immediately after I remove it from the dryer…yeah! I know! It’s never going to happen!)

Here is what I can do:

Today, I will write a little something about ALS. Tomorrow, maybe I will, and maybe I won’t. I’m not going to think past these two days…But today, I can give you a few facts about what I have learned along the way…

Today’s fun little facts ~

Fact~ You have no control over this disease until you choose to control your thinking about the disease.

Fact~ This disease affects people all over the world. It does not discriminate. It can affect a woman in her sixties, as well as a young boy who is ten years old. At this moment in time, there is absolutely no control over who will be affected or how to stop it.

Fact~ You will never be ready for all the challenges that are thrown at you, either as the caregiver, or as the patient.

Fact~ As soon as you accept that you have no control over the disease, it will stop controlling you…

Fact~ I have been incredibly blessed these last three years. I know this. I am beyond grateful for how much easier my life is compared to so many others. I try incredibly hard to give back as much as I can in other areas, because I understand how lucky I am. Gratitude is practiced…every day…One person is not born with the ability to be grateful all the time versus another person who can never find it.
Practice Gratitude…every day!

Fact~ No matter how good or bad your situation is, you can still find things to be grateful for. You are still in control of how you respond. (Don’t believe me? See the fact listed above!)

Fact~ What you say, how you say it and how often you say it WILL affect your thinking. Maybe that is why I try my hardest to never say “F*ck ALS”
I mean I say a lot of swear words…daily but saying that only feeds the anger and rage at something that is out of my control. Why keep repeating and reminding myself… I get it! I live it..

Fact~ Many things suck in this life. So what! What are YOU going to do about it? Are you going to swear and get angry at the things you have no control over? Sure..get angry for a while. Kick, scream, cry…fall to the ground, punch a pillow! Do what ever you have to do in the moment…. But don’t stay there….Don’t keep that anger inside of you…

Fact~ You cannot get through this alone…so don’t try.

Fact~ There are always options. No matter how bad it gets, how horrible and rock bottom you think you have hit….there are ALWAYS options!

Don’t believe me?

Read the book, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl.

There are always options…even if the only option is your attitude about having no options…that is still an option! 🙂