We all have limiting factors in our lives. It may be a health issue, fear, past hurts, or even bad relationships. These limits place constraints on our lives in one way or another. My main limiting factor is migraine headaches. There are jobs that I can't take, stores that I can't shop in, and even schedules that I cannot keep because of them. Most recently, I went to an amusement park with my family and realized that rollercoasters can be a trigger for me. In order to have a solid quality of life, it’s important to respect those limits.
The body is vast and complex and as such, there is no perfect machine. Many of us will face major medical issues while others will remain relatively heathy. If we want to maintain a high quality of life, it's important to respect the limits that our bodies have for us. For example, my migraines are best controlled when I maintain a stable sleep pattern. When I fail to do so, I lose 3-5 days of productivity to the pain and lethargy that migraines bring. So, while I may want to stay up late one night or two, I know that if I do, I'm going to lose. I accept that fact, and stick to my sleep schedule.
It's important to not aggravate medical conditions. No matter how hard we try or how smart we are, we'll always lose. I will never beat migraines and trying to do so could cause the attacks to be prolonged. So instead of trying to beat them, I work in harmony with them. I avoid certain stores, I stay on my sleep schedule, and then, because I'm migraine-free, I'm able to do anything that I want.
That's really the main point. When you respect your limits, you're able to enjoy what you can do. I may not be able to do x, y, and z, but I can do everything else. We tend to focus on the negative and not the positive. Our limits are probably quite mild compared to some people, and that's something to be grateful for. I may not be able to join the military, but I can run my own business. I may not be able to stay up late, but I can get a better quality of sleep than most. I may not be able to ride roller coasters, but I can walk around at an amusement park and go on rides with Benedict.
Know your limits, respect your limits, and acknowledge that your limits really aren't all that limiting.
Tags: Wellness
