Overcoming Challenges and Finding What Works Best for You

Have you ever stopped to consider the small actions that help you get through your day? What tasks give you the energy and motivation to keep going? It can be helpful to take a moment to reflect on these things and understand what helps your body and mind feel energized.

I know I needed to take some time to do this for myself.

I just had a shower, dressed up and I am sat at my desk as I type this feed. I am feeling fresh and my mind is charged up. I am about to have breakfast in a few as I continue to type away and that will mark my first break during my morning focus session.

I work best in the mornings and tend to get a lot of tasks done before noon and thereafter I am famished and I need my afternoon nap if I am to make it well through the day.

Why am I sharing my routine with you?

This year I had a light bulb moment about my daily routines and it came after days of feeling frustrated and low. I wanted to know the cause of my overwhelm, low energy levels and slacking on productivity. While my condition certainly played a significant role, those who know me well can attest to my determination to fight against Scleroderma with all my might. I refuse to let it defeat me, even when it has the advantage. I am fiercely determined to overcome it.

I wanted to be productive and be able to manage my daily tasks with ease because I love what I do and I started to feel like it is too much to handle. That scared me. So I decided to pull the handbrake and switch off to analyse my days thoroughly.

It is not an easy task because you can’t really analyse yourself vigorously, I mean we tend to be easy on ourselves and overlook many things, as compared to if it were a professional or any other person. And so I discovered there was something I was doing that could potentially be the root of all my laziness and causing me to feel low and it was time to show me some tough love.

My old routine:

Wake up -> morning hygiene -> wash face -> head straight to my desk to start working -> breakfast after a few minutes -> and then get up to shower just before noon.

This was my old routine and I would only get dressed(read shower early) if I had a morning engagement that required me to get out of the house, other than that I’d stay at my desk well until noon sometimes.

Have you guessed what was wrong in the routine? It was the morning shower! Now, I am going to explain in a few why it sounds like a huge deal for me especially as a Sclero patient.

There are no specific rules on when it is best to shower as it depends on personal preferences, however showering in the morning helps one get energized for the day as it stimulates senses and increases blood flow which makes one feel alert. Warm water helps relax muscles and reduce muscle tension, which is helpful for relieving stress and aids relaxation. General benefits of showering and the effects of water on the body suggest that it could be a beneficial part of a daily routine.

As a scleroderma patient, my body is very difficult to deal with especially in the morning. For me waking up in the morning, and I mean the act of getting out of bed, is the hardest thing I do on a daily and once accomplished I say Alhamdulillah and go on to tell my body - ha, bring it on honey, lol.

When I wake up my body is extremely heavy and tight and sometimes I have swelling after a rough night. So my mornings are usually slow and very difficult until about two hours or so have passed and I feel like some sort of normalcy(not so tight) within my body. Imagine not being to turn your head freely because the neck is so tight and you can hardly manage to hold your toothbrush. It is a lot to deal with on a daily and for me it is part of my everyday and hence the reason why I celebrate being able to get out of bed and brushing my teeth myself.

With my body so tight your guess is right, I definitely can’t be getting into the shower? I need time to feel relaxed. Thats what I thought and had fed my mind.

Day one of jumping into the shower within the first hour was tough, not gonna lie. I was so heavy and felt heavier as time went on. I kept telling myself that I am free to get as much work done now that showering was out of the way. I tricked my mind into believing that showering was the only way to start the day, like brushing my teeth is a wont, showering had to follow.

Here's what my new routine looks like:

Wake up -> morning hygiene -> shower and dress up -> pray (only when I miss the morning prayer) -> head to my desk to start working -> breakfast -> take two short breaks before calling it a day at noon.

With this new routine I have days when I resume working in the afternoons or late evenings which has me so excited because what is this new level of ninja I have unlocked! I feel fresh, alert and find that my focus has improved. Distractions are low and now I can complete one task effectively and faster.

My body on the other hand feels relaxed these days especially after my morning showers and may I brag that I can now occasionally handle a cold water rinse without freezing and turning blue. Alhamdulillah. This was not possible and has my mum excited more than me. Lol.

It is amazing how a small mindset shift can change your body’s rhythm and power you to live the life you have always wanted to. It starts with your mind, once you have tuned it to your notes, it will follow with the right beats.

My new challenge is waking up for the morning prayer consistently, even when the body refuses to move, because currently I am falling short and can’t complete a weekly streak. Anything is possible ;)

The 3 Keys 🔑

• It can be helpful to reflect on what daily tasks or habits help to energize and motivate you. Self-reflection and understanding one's own needs and habits can be helpful in managing daily tasks and increasing productivity.

• It is important to find what works best for one's own body and lifestyle

• Work on your mindset first and make changes a breeze. A ready and prepared mindset can achieve anything.

What are some changes you are planning to make in your life? I hope this helps you set yourself up for a successful flip and have fun while learning about yourself :)I wish your year ends with happiness and peace surrounded with family and friends. Enjoy yourself and don't forget to show YOU some love :)

Until the next feed, please share this newsletter with your audience.

Enthusiastically,

Farah Khaleck