Comparing Our Lives

I think no matter what our lives involve, who we are, our skills, traits, or how our bodies are created we all have had or will struggle with this above scenario. Are we using our skills in a way that is useful for our lives and others? How do we compare this in a way that assures us we are headed in a direction good for us, living up to our potential and positively affecting those in our surrounding lives?

With the winter upon us here in Oregon I recently discovered the heated pool. The level of affect on my CRPS/RSD pain is significantly improved as it typically does for me with a non-agitating, heart elevating activity.

I started swimming/moving in the water for 15 minute increments then increased it to 30 and then added a few minutes at a time to make it an hour each session, a couple days a week. The actual affected limb has dropped to no pain most days and a controllable 2-3 on flare days.

Lots of people use this public pool for many different levels of health. Some people use it to increase movement after accidents like auto or falls. Some increase health by low impact aerobics.

For a brief moment when a gentleman asked if I was a lap swimmer or aerobics? I realized all of the above depending on the day, CRPS level, etc. It was in that moment I had to re-evaluate my 'CRPS Life'.

If I fall into that trap of comparing my life to theirs it will never be a win. If I compare my life today to my life before CRPS It will never be a win. If I compare flare days to non-flare days that will never be a win. But comparing non-flare to non-flare I can see improvement. Comparing how I'm handling a flare day, to how I've handled other flare days I can see improvement over the months/years and can realistically see when I'm spiraling in a bad direction and can increase positive supports. Be careful of the comparing pitfall!