Relaxation and reframing productivity As I get older I find I need more time to myself to unwind and relax, otherwise I feel like I'm figuratively climbing the walls. There is a lot of societal pressure be productive, even though it's unable to keep up with the standards set by society without reaching burn out at some point. But as disabled folx we can't keep up and yet we feel we have to meet these expectations or exceed them to over compensate due to the belief we have to "make up for" the fact we're disabled. However this is internalised ableism talking, we don't have to make up for anything we enough as we are, and our worth isn't dependent on how stereotypically productive we are. Besides, productivity looks different for everyone - and in my opinion if you're looking after yourself, this is a form of productivity which is worthy of acknowledgement and self praise just as much as the additional stuff. So if you want to watch netflix to unwind, it's just as productive as unwinding with some yoga or taking a walk if the results are as effective, but we have to do what our energy levels dictate as opposed to what we perceive is expected of us.
Tag: cfs
Needing a carer from a sick person’s perspective | ME Association
Hello, my name’s Lori- AKA ‘Bud to Bloom’, a UK based disability, and mental health blogger living with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, ME, and a host of other comorbidities. My journey with chronic illness started at age 13, and like many spoonie warriors it appeared to come from nowhere. However after a few years I was [...]
Let’s end the stigma of mobility aids!
I slowly began to hate using my walking stick, crutches, walking frame, and wheelchair - I failed to invest in my comfort and sense of self-expression because I was living in a state of denial. I didn't WANT to think of a future with mobility aids; it felt like I would be giving in.
I feel it in my bones (announcement)
May 9 - "This past weekend has been rough - my body feels like it's falling apart beneath my skin, uncontrollable; fighting against itself - the epitome of connective tissue disorder." Warm weather is a rarity in northern England, so I try my very best to go into the garden whenever my PoTS and ME [...]
A Chronic Perspective of Relationships
"How have your disabilities affected your relationships?" To understand how my relationships have been affected as a result of my disabilities, it's important to understand that my conditions have caused a shift in my relationship with myself. Chronic pain is difficult - the constant struggle to get through the days, some easier to navigate than [...]
“Disabled people have sex?”
In March and April I had the amazing opportunity to write blog posts for Intimately - an accessible and inclusive underwear company. Both posts centred around sex with disability - the first about embracing one's sexuality with a disability, and the second about navigating sex with disability. Photo credit: Hannah Todd Photography This blog post [...]
From Sweats to Suspenders
I think we can all simultaneously agree that it has been a difficult few months, as we're navigating a situation which the majority of us have never experienced before. At first it seemed almost surreal, like it was a strange parallel dystopian universe - however now it's something that I am finding myself slowly [...]
When it all gets a bit much
CW: infertility Hello Blooms, It's a f*cking weird time to be alive huh? THE END No I'm only pulling your leg - however this pretty much sums up the alternate reality we seem to be existing in; almost like we're floating in space, waiting to wake up from this bloody nightmare. I'm having a bit [...]
Head above water – where I’ve been
Hello Blooms, We can all agree that during these troubling and confusing times that life seems to be stuck in this weird realm; it feels like each day is melting into the next, yet with the rush of new information we're ingesting each day it feels like things are moving incredibly quick. I can empathise [...]
Gene me up Scotty
Hello Blooms, Firstly, I wish to take a moment to thank the individuals who reached out and said such positive things about my last blog post, Journaling and Riding the Depression Wave (w/ exercises). Secondly, you'll be pleased to know storm Doris has come to an end and it goes without saying I am beyond [...]
