Gratitude with a Side of Grumpy
Gratefulness vs. Toxic Positivity
blog I read recently was musing on how the admonitions we hear to always find things to be thankful for can inadvertently turn into a type of toxic positivity, which is the belief that people should always maintain a positive mindset and disregard negative emotions no matter how difficult the situation may be.
I have a deep aversion to people forcing a fake sort of positivity on a situation, you probably do too, am I right?!
I write about toxic positivity in my book Living Your BEST Life with Fibromyalgia: A Compassionate Approach to Reclaim Your Health and Reimagine Your Purpose.
Have you read my book yet? If so, I would love for you to write a review for Amazon.
I also invite you to consider purchasing my book as a Christmas gift for someone you know who is struggling with fibromyalgia and chronic illness. The book is designed to be easy to read. There is also an audio version available.
Some people have told me they are using the reflection questions and white space in my book as a place to journal and some are using the beautiful illustrations as a coloring book. So, you get three in one, a book to read or listen to, and a journal and a coloring book! You can purchase the book HERE.
To combat fostering a toxic approach to gratitude the author of the blog I read wrote about some things he is thankful for along with some things he is not.
In that same spirit I will share three things I am grateful for and one thing I am grumpy about and I invite you to do the same.
Things I am Grateful For
First of all I’m so, so grateful that my husband has recovered so well from his heart attack in April! He completed a 12 week cardiac rehabilitation program in September with flying colors and he continues to work out most days, working with a personal trainer at the activity center in our community. He’s well enough that he will soon be doing some systems engineering work for a consulting firm.
Have you or your loved ones been dealing with extra challenges? So many people are. I had three clients and two good friends who were in the path of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton and I know those storms took a toll on so many.
It’s so helpful to seek out extra resources when challenges pile up. A trauma recovery expert I follow said that people who recover best employ a proactive approach, taking a symbolic shopping cart around their community gathering up all the resources they need to recover.
Secondly, I am so grateful to family and friends and work colleagues and many of the women I work with who have reached out with love and kindness and support as we have been navigating this transition to living in southern California.
I have found that paying attention to my network of social support and nurturing those relationships that are important to me pays off big dividends in my overall well-being.
How about you? Are you feeling a little thin with your social interactions? You could use the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday as a good reason to reach out to friends new and old to express your gratitude for their presence in your life.
My dear, good friend Anne Woodling often sends Thanksgiving cards which mean so much because it takes an extra effort to send those greetings. I think I just inspired myself to do the same this year!
Thirdly, I am so grateful for the women I work with as their health coach. Being able to share a part of their journey to healing is rewarding and inspiring on a regular basis.
I have the privilege of watching my clients move from feeling completely overwhelmed by their fibromyalgia and other chronic symptoms into experiencing hope and joy and optimism for the future.
I support them as they reengage in creative pursuits and projects and cheer them on as they regain vitality in their relationships, work and volunteer service.
I’m so thankful to be a small part in helping them regain their confidence in being able to manage their illness effectively and to take charge of their health.
Coaching Can Yield Significant Results
One of my clients in Texas, Lynn, recently wrote this to me:
“Hi Robin! I cannot thank you enough. Our work together opened me up to possibilities of where to search for solutions. You normalized the experience of searching for health and wellness and guided me through the steps.”
I asked Lynn for permission to brag on her a little bit because she just finished up my 5 month, 15 session foundational Flourishing with Fibromyalgia Coaching Program with remarkable improvement.
When we started working together she was feeling pretty badly and scored 64.5 on the FIQR-the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised which is in the severe range. When she retook the FIQR 5 months later she scored 19.5 which is in the mild range. This was a whopping 70% improvement! Way to go Lynn!
As we talked about her improvement recently, she said she was blessed to have me as someone who knew how to guide her and to push her a little to look for solutions. In the time we worked together Lynn was able to access new resources and to bring on several new members to her healthcare team whose thoughtful and comprehensive treatment plans addressed her needs more effectively than in the past.
As Lynn’s health coach, I supported her and offered guidance on her healing journey as to how to apply her new resources and implement her treatment plans consistently and it paid off for her!
We laughed together and cried together as she worked through various issues including some traumatic experiences in her extended family and we were so happy to also celebrate her gains together.
While this level of improvement in just 5 months is unusual, it is not unusual for my Fibro Coaching clients to see various levels of immediate improvement as they work through their coaching program.
Could you use some help with this?
Could now be the right time to find out if working with a health coach like me could help you too find solutions? It’s easy to schedule a Free consultation HERE.
