Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Control your pain by understanding what's within your control
Living with chronic health issues can quickly become overwhelming. Managing medications, navigating physical limitations, handling multiple health conditions, and coping with pain can make it feel like your life is spiraling out of control, especially during flare-ups. In these moments, it's understandable to feel overwhelmed and powerless.
This sense of helplessness can negatively impact your perception of health, a topic we discussed last week. One of the most useful tools you have is to identify what is within your control and what is NOT within your control. The next step would then be releasing the stress associated with the things you CAN’T control.
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Let’s break down a few examples of what is within your control versus what’s beyond it.
Within Your Control:
- Your mindset and self-talk
- Your actions
- Your emotional responses
- Practicing self-compassion
- Your body language
- Your boundaries
- How you care for your body
Outside Your Control:
- The thoughts, feelings, and actions of others
- The future
- The past
- Potential diagnoses unrelated to lifestyle
- Others’ perceptions of you
Being able to identify the things that are outside of your control doesn’t stop them from happening. Instead of allowing them to cause you stress or worry, you have the ability to change how you respond to them.
It’s asking yourself, “okay, this happened, now how am I going to choose to move through it?"
Focusing on what you can control can help you feel more in charge and less stressed, leading to a healthier and more balanced way of managing your health.
Practical steps to empower yourself with some areas you can control:
Nutrition
Your diet is something you have control over. Find ways to fit nutrition into your day. Rather than focus on what NOT to eat, focus on finding ways to fit in lean protein, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and fiber. Celebrating a birthday and wanting cake? Great! Add some fruit to the side or some raw veggie as a snack before so you can focus on tasting and enjoying the cake rather than fulfilling hunger. Create awareness for yourself around portion sizes and work on limiting processed foods and sugars.
Physical Activity
You can decide how often and what type of exercise you engage in. Find exercises that you enjoy. It’s easier to stick with activities you like, and it’s important to remember that something is better than nothing, and remember, every little bit counts! 5 minute walk around the block? It counts. 10 minute stretch session? It counts. so do more of what you enjoy!
Sleep Habits
To fit everything into our day, we might cut back on sleep, but it's important to remember that sleep is critical for both mental and physical health. Establish a bedtime routine, create a conducive sleep environment, and prioritize getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Some simple tips to help are provided in this emotional wellness toolkit.
Stress Management
While you can't always control stressful situations, you can control how you respond to them. Practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga can help you manage stress effectively. Your Kaia program includes relaxation sessions and gentle yoga as part of your multimodal program!
Hydration
There are so many cool cups these days that allow us to add flavor to our water and to make sure that we have water available. Whatever will help you be more mindful of your fluid intake! Proper hydration can truly help you feel better, improve your energy levels and mood. What helps you remember to drink water and how can you incorporate it into your routine?
Social Connections
Nurture positive relationships and seek support from friends and family. Surround yourself with people who uplift and encourage your health goals.
Mindset and Attitude
Your thoughts and perceptions significantly impact your health. Foster a positive mindset, practice gratitude, and believe in yourself and your ability to make positive changes.
Self Care
Prioritize yourself by scheduling not just regular check-ups, but also whatever self-care means to you. Embrace activities that nurture you, whether it’s engaging in fun hobbies, taking a walk in nature, or simply allowing yourself time to relax. Self-care is unique to everyone, so focus on what feels right for you!
While you can influence many aspects of your health, it's important to be kind to yourself and give yourself grace. Celebrate the wins and progress, no matter how small, and recognize that change takes time.
Kaia’s app pairs the expertise of clinician-designed exercise therapy with the convenience of a mobile app to get you on the road to recovery on your terms. Kaia Health coaches are here to support you at every step of your health journey. Our dedicated Health coaches are passionate about meeting and supporting you where you are at. If you are interested in learning more about Kaia Health you can sign up HERE!
