All the ways I help myself

It took me a long time to learn how to listen to my body and to give myself what I need. I think it was graduate school that knocked that message into my thick skull. That I HAD to take care of myself before I could take care of anyone else.

Since becoming disabled that lesson has only grown. I had to become a strong advocate for myself and learn how to listen to what's going on with my body. It's the only way I could get help from my doctors. 

Here are a few things I'm into at the moment that make taking care of myself fun and easy.

My monster mug

My 40oz mug from Target. I drink about 3 of these a day. It's lighter than it looks and has saved me more than once when I thought I'd have a quick medical appointment. I only keep water in it and I hand wash. Totally worth it. It's lighter than many of my smaller travel cups. Water water water.

Fidgets

I struggle with dermatillomania. I've had it my whole life. My mom says I use more band aids than anyone she knows. This is more often than not the cause of that. I've been making a real effort lately to tame that beast. This comes in the form of fidgets. I have spinner rings and bought this new zipper bracelet as well. I love it. 

Still disabled!

I'm not a Wonder Woman ALL the time. Some days I'm in more pain than others or I've tweaked a muscle. Then I use my disabled parking plaque. This is an easy way to help myself. Save my spoons and make life a little easier to prioritize my energy.

Joint compression

Another thing I do is make sure I have the right equipment to combat muscle pain and fatigue when I need to. Like the right shoes, braces and medication. These Crocs are amazing. A gift from my mom. But when I'm really out walking my high-top boots are best to secure my newly weak right ankle. I pay attention to my body signals and do my best to help myself. I'm very fortunate to be able to have access to the right tools and tricks. 

 (I was not reimbursed for any of these products. It's my personal opinion only.)