Some people are really negative all the time, while others seem to be able to find something good in anything life throws their way – I am somewhere in between. I am no longer young and naive – I have lived life and seen some pretty unpleasant things, and am smart enough to realize that no one is immune to bad things happening from time to time. On the other hand, I do believe that it is possible, if you dig deeply enough, to find something good in even the things we consider bad.
That being said, not all blog posts can be happy and uplifting. It is great to share things in your life that make people smile, but that is just one part of reality. Sometimes, you have a day, a week, or even longer, that just isn’t that great. Those are the times that you find out who your real friends are – the ones who really care about you do not run away just because you’re not all bright and cheery. Sure, we can all fake a smile if we need to, but why would anyone want you to pretend like that ? Real life has ups and downs – that is just a fact.
I have been feeling pretty burned out lately – tired and stressed. I wish that people could work less ( but somehow still be able to afford to pay the bills ) have more free time to relax, take care of themselves, and spend quality time doing things that they enjoy. ( and with the people they love ) It is far too easy to become negative in your outlook when you are sleep-deprived, and have too many worries on your mind.
A couple of nights ago, I was sitting in a chair, and I started feeling a strange sensation near the top of my spine, which travelled up to the base of my neck, fairly quickly. I gasped in pain, as it seemed to come out of nowhere. My husband turned to look at me, wondering what was wrong. I quickly told him my neck/upper back were seized up, and I could barely move. I went to bed early that night, thinking I may have just pinched a nerve, and could “sleep it off “.
( I was wrong. ) I woke up yesterday morning, and was in even more pain. There was no way I could work, so I had to call and let them know. This, of course, causes me more stress – feeling as though you are letting others down, making things harder for them etc. I knew I had to try and relax, and rest my body, but it was just one of those days where things weren’t meant to go so smoothly. It was the annual day of window washing at our complex, so we had guys on ladders and on the roof all day, ( making noise, of course ) and we couldn’t open the windows, so no fresh air to breathe. As I lay there trying to sleep, the doorbell rang. My husband was out getting me some back pain medication, so by the time I was able to get up and go to the door, there was only a notice there, saying our gas had been turned off, due to a leak in a nearby home. It listed a number for us to call to get it lit again. I guess that hot bath I was going to soak my back in would also have to wait. When my hubby returned, he put in the call, and it was late afternoon before we had our hot water restored ( after yet another doorbell ringing ). So much for a quiet day of rest. It almost seemed like a joke – but not a very funny one.
I was determined that I would be all better this morning, but my body disagreed. I woke up with my neck and back still stiff and sore, knowing full well that going back to work too soon would only make things worse. Once again, I had to call in, and once again, it made me feel badly. Why is it that many of us can’t just accept that sometimes our bodies are trying to give us big hints that we need to slow down, relax, and be good to ourselves ? When we need rest most, we worry about anything and everything else, except ourselves, our own health and well-being.
On that note, I should get back into bed and try and heal this body of mine. Today seems a little bit quieter, and if I’m lucky, maybe I can actually get some much-needed rest, and clear my mind of anything negative.