I waited a little while to write because I felt like my health was overtaking my life--and it was--but I didn't want this to become a blog about the woes of my health. I have no problem sharing my updates but I also don't want to focus on that. When I focus on all the things going wrong, it makes it harder to deal with. I'm having positive thoughts. When somebody asks me how I am, I'm not letting my health define "how" I am. I can be happy even when I'm in pain--and that is my goal!
I saw this quote/motivational thought on pinterest and have adopted it as my guide:
I have created one or two goals for each of these questions and I will share those with you:
Mind: a)Read a "fun" book this month and b)Study 2 hours per week for my PHR exam (see below-I'll explain the exam)
Body: a)Do physical therapy(PT) stretches each day and b)Do pool exercises twice per week
Spirit: a)Study scriptures each day and b)study a general conference talk or broadcast each week
Relationships: a)Do one act of service per day and b)Write a letter each week
Creativity/Passion: a)Learn a new song on the piano
--I've selected "If You Could Hie to Kolob" by Marshall McDonald (watch it on YouTube)
There is a program online, as well as an iphone app, called "Lift." My friend Adam Black shared it with me. There are a bunch of categories that are goals and you pick your goals and set a time to do them. Each day you check back in and say what you did. It creats a string of posts of people who have done their goal. It keeps track of how many days in a row you do something and people can give you "props" or write encouraging comments on your posts. It is just this network of people trying to stop bad habits and create new ones. So I've inserted each of my goals and now I have people "cheering me on" and keeping me in check. You all should look it up and see if Lift can encourage you to work harder and stay on task for your goals.
I will explain the PHR exam-since most of you probably have no idea what that is. Working in Human Resources, there are three levels of cirtification: the first being a Professional in Human Resources (PHR). I will be taking a 3 hour exam next Spring and if I pass I will become "Cydnee Haws, PHR." This will enable me to take on much better and in-depth jobs. I'm starting to study now because this exam covers A LOT of material and I haven't had real life exposure to quite a few areas of HR. I believe with my studying, taking more trainings, mentoring from my boss, and prayers, I will be able to accomplish this!
This last week, I got two more injections in my back. It took a few days to feel better--I still don't know if it really has helped my back or not but I did it once more for my doctor. I've also been wearing this shirt made by Tommie Copper. They have a bunch of different clothing items as well as braces to wear on your wrist, elbow, knee, ankle, etc. These items have been infused with about 60% copper nylon. There are a lot people who wear copper bracelets and say that they have way less pain. The idea is the same with this clothing. I bought two shirts to try out. I wear them all the time-during the day and when I sleep. I've been doing this for about three weeks: Last night I decided to wash both of them at the same time and go a night without wearing one and see how I felt afterwards. Within an hour I was in a lot of pain in my shoulders and collarbone again. It was hard to sleep. I put one on this morning and didn't think much of it. As I've been writing this paragraph, I've been assessing my pain level, it is significantly lower. I'm still going to wait another week-and probably try a day without that shirt on see if the pain comes back that quickly again or if it was a one time thing. If I decide it works I may buy a few more products. I'm willing to try anything to get rid of pain!!
Speaking of trying anything for pain: I had dinner with my grandpa and step-grandma last night. They took me to Market Street Grill, it is one of our favorites. I ended up getting the special which was fillet mignon with crab legs and veggies. It was amazingly delicious. While eating, Grandpa Dan talked about some of this healing he does through meditation and spiritual processes. It is nothing that I'm even close to understanding but he asked that I be open-minded and see if he can help with anything. So I'm being open-minded and letting him "practice" on me. Anything that can take some more pain away is worth trying, even if I don't understand it right now. If I only did things I completely understand, I wouldn't get very far in life!
I've been reading 2 Nephi in my "Closer to Christ" scripture study. When I was reading chapter 19, I found a specific line very interesting to me. 19:19 says "and the people shall be the fuel of the fire." I was thinking that there can be two meanings of the word fire. The first being bad-disasters, sin, etc. or the opposite fire being good-motivation, testimony, light. The people, me and you, get to chose which type of fire to be. You get to choose how the fire keep burning no matter which situation you are in. You can still have a testimony and be motivated and have the spirit with you when you are in undesireable situations. Or, you can sin and gossip and destroy your body but you are fueling the fire for Satan. I found this to be a cool concept. How am I fueling my fire burning? How's your fire being fueled?
