"Change Your Mind"~Sister Hazel

Thanks mom for the song for today.  Mom and I are Hazelnuts, and this is one of our favorite songs.  
If you've never heard this song, well you need to.  It's pretty much saying that if you don't like where your life is going, change it, fix it, make it your own.  There have been so many times in my life that I've listened to this song.  Its the epitome of positivity.  Hearing this song live is so much better, but I'll take the CD version as well.

With MdDS, or any chronic disorder/illness, there is so much that you have no control over.  You get days where you feel completely overwhelmed by what your brain is doing to your body.  It gets frustrating and depressing and really really annoying.  To top it of you have normal life stuff that tries to destroy you.  It gets to be too much sometimes.
What do you do?
Change your mind....
Take control of the things that are yours to own.  
Don't like your body, exercise.  With MdDS this can be tricky, but I've found that walking, even if its all over the place, that I feel really good.  I'm not a yoga person, but some MdDSers live by it, that and Tai Chi.  I do barre work that I remembered from ballet class to work on balance.  Not only does getting up and moving make your body feel better, but makes you feel like you've accomplished something.
Don't like the people surrounding you, get rid of them.  Now this may not be so easy with family.  Like momma always says, you can pick your friends, but family's for life.  So, get rid of the friends who aren't helpful.  What does it matter that you only have a handful left it in the end, that handful will be the best friends that you need.  Work really hard at those friendships, you need them as much as they need you.  As far as family goes, no you can't get rid of them, but you can stand your ground.  For me this was the hardest because I'm not a confrontational person.  I had to stand up and say, this is now who I am, if you can't handle it then please keep your comments to yourself....Okay, so maybe I wasn't that harsh, but you get the idea.  Re-connect with old friends, join a fun group that interests you. 
Don't like your diet, spice it up.  So with MdDS comes the challenges of the kitchen.  As I've talked about before, the kitchen can be a nightmare for most of us.  I've come up with a really awesome plan.  First of all I coupon.  With couponing I have a stockpile.  Not like on the show, I'm not a hoarder.  I have one large bookcase that has food on it.  I also have a deep freezer and my regular fridge.  I search for recipes that are really easy.  You know, the ones that are like 5 ingredients.  Stuff like, marinade and then throw in a pan, or crock pot!  I love my crock pot!  If you aren't like me and can't cook most of the week, the on your good days make a bunch of meals and freeze them.  If the idea is daunting to you, gather up said awesome friends or family members you love and have a cooking party.  Have them help with cutting or prep work.  
Don't like your surroundings, change them.  I'm not talking about up and moving, well unless you have that luxury.  What I'm talking about it adjusting the surroundings.  Paint a room, change pictures in your picture frames, get some help to move around furniture.  Go shopping at thrift stores, antique shops or yard sales to find a new unique piece to put in your living room.  Start a small project in your yard.  Add flowers or plants to your areas, bring life to the space.   
Feel stuck where you are?  Find a hobby or volunteer.  Again I coupon, but I also blog, research recipes and fun ideas to do with my kids.  I find new music to help not only blog, but to help me day to day.  
The point is make it different.  Bring new positivity into your life.  This life can be hard on everyone from time to time, but its how you conquer the day.  Life isn't about the day you were born, or the day you pass away, its about that line in between and what you've done with it.