Top 5 things that pick me up when I’m down

OK fellow Cushies, let’s face it, we all have moments when we feel like we’re carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders or we’re faced with never ending obstacles. Just simply living with the after effects of Cushing’s is enough to make me what to stick my head in the sand and cry ’til my eyes bleed (although, I’m proud to say those moments are now far and few between).

When I’m having a good day - and feel like a normal person - I try to push myself to take advantage of the things that make me feel good. And I thought I’d share some of them with you in hopes of creating a positive atmosphere, rather than dwelling in the negative (we already have too much of that).

• Read my favorite blog Dooce - the author, Heather Armstrong, is a mother of one (soon to be two) kids and in equivalently shares her most personal, intimate details of what it’s like being a mom. She’s bold, blunt and absolutely hilarious.

• Watch What Not to Wear - When I got sick with Cushing’s, I completely lost my personal style and resorted to frumpy clothes because that’s all I could find that fit. Well guess what, that’s simply not true. I just didn’t know how to find clothes that fit my new body. What I really like about this show is they show you how to find your personal style for every body shape. So instead of hating my closet, I’ve taken to heart some of the tips and tricks from Clinton & Stacey and now have a renewed love for clothes.

• OK, this next one is for ladies only (sorry guys). For the longest time, I had a poor self-image spend as little time as possible in front of the mirror. Now that I’ve come out of my shell, I love to experiment with new make-up. Life’s too short to not have a little fun with color. E.L.F. has fabulous, fun make-up for only a $1 - yes, only one dollar! And if you use these coupons, you can save even more.

• Make an appointment with yourself to do something that you really enjoy, whether it be for an hour or an entire day. I know that sounds funny, but it really works. When I was sick, I withdrew and felt very isolated. Most of all, I stopped doing things that were just for me. I’m a mom, a wife and have a full-time job that’s demanding, so there’s little time left for me at the end of the day. So my husband and I worked out a schedule where we trade off who takes my son to school and who picks him up after school. On the days I don’t pick up my son, I make an appointment with myself for an hour to do what ever I want - maybe catch up with a friend after work or work on something creative. What ever it is - it’s just for me.

• Stretch. Yes, I know, I can already hear what some of you might be saying. It does wonders for your body, along with your state of mind. Before getting sick with Cushing’s, I worked out on a regular basis and was very diligent about making stretching apart of my workout routine. As a result of Cushing’s, I lost most of my muscle, along with my flexibility. I’ve started to incorporate stretching into my nightly routine. Although I may not be back in the gym, I’m slowly making my way back there - it’s all about baby steps.

There will always things out of your control to worry about or to make you feel unhappy. What counts is what you do with those things to find what makes you happy.

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