Day 1 Not brief, but helpful to me! Thanks!

It is amazing to me how much my life has changed since my geriatrician suggested that I read a book by Dr. John Sarno! Yes, he is one smart doctor! He knows me well and understood what I needed, although his constant “prescription” advice for me is “The only thing that helps with fibromyalgia is exercise.” Okay. I’m exercising, but I’m not sure my good doc has actually read anything by Dr. Sarno as he certainly missed the point — sort of. I think I get what he means though. After caring for my husband for his seven year post stroke decline (the last six months of which he was bedbound) and staying home so that I could use every bit of my strength and energy caring for both of us, I’ve not had much exercise! As I understand Dr. Sarno, we need to do something we enjoy doing. So far, that’s walking my dogs and I’m doing that every day, usually twice a day. I’m totally convinced that these pervasive fibromyalgia symptoms, which I’ve had for at least 40 years, are TMS. To think how glad I was when they finally gave it a name and I could believe it was a “real” thing! At last I had a diagnosis that others could see as real! Life can have some strange twists and turns.

This is not “brief” as suggested, but I’m almost finished....
About three years ago, I discovered Jon Kabat-Zinn and mindfulness and have been meditating and reading and listening to various mindfulness teachers. That has been a tremendous help. But I needed more! Since my doc mentioned Dr. Sarno, I’ve been studying everything I could get my hands on — all of Sarno, Schechter, Schubiner, Nancy Selfridge, Alan Gordon’s program, twice (read the old one too), posts, success stories, webinars and more posts. I’ve attended every Saturday chat since I found the TMSwiki and here I am starting another program! @BruceMC hosted that first chat and wisely told me that at a certain point you have to start DOING it. But I still didn’t understand what “it” was!

Two days ago I woke up with a wonderful thought: “I get it! It’s all about fear! I just need to live my life fearlessly!” But my mind said, “Not so fast, naive Suky. I’m not done with you yet!” So, here I am making sure that I’m not missing some tool for my toolbox. So many of those of you who are living well with TMS say that we should do whatever works best for us. I guess I just want to be sure that there isn’t something else that I can do that works for me. But in the meantime, I am definitely better, freer and blossoming!

If anyone is still with me, I thank you for reading all this. It feels good to have written it!

 

Hi suky,

I don't think you are missing anything!

Yes, as Bruce says, "Just do it." There is so much you may begin to "do," and I get that you want to be sure you're on the right path. I think you might ask yourself "why do I hesitate?" This is not uncommon, and the answers are many. What are your answers? Each doubt or hesitation can be seen, felt, understood and let go of! Maybe it is perfectionism, or perhaps fear that what you do won't work. Decades of pain and stress tends to make us fearful. Maybe we'll be let down?

Part of what makes this TMS approach work is that we are taking action. Not our doctor, not even Dr. Sarno. We take control of our situation through work, experimentation, inquiry into our exact situation moment-by-moment. We think psychologically, we reassure ourselves, we inquire into our fears and doubts and "don't believe everything we think." We slow down and feel, and learn to be with ourselves.This gives us inner guidance, and tunes us into what will work for us. No one here can do this for you!

Ultimately our growing autonomy from the belief that we need to "do it right" or that "I might be missing something" puts us in touch with our inner strength and inner guidance.

Jump in and make mistakes, and you will find your way through! If you start anywhere, you will find your way.

Good luck and enjoy the ride!

Andy B