MS Awareness Month 2021, Day 15
AND THE IDES OF MARCH.
There are so many things in life that frighten us. As MS Warriors, we live with the worst: The MonSter. He’s not hiding under the bed. He doesn’t live in the closet. Our MonSter walks daily by our side. Our MonSter has a purpose. That purpose is to create havoc.
Our job is to fight back. With a purpose.
PIL (Purpose in Life) is an area of research that focuses on the communication between the mind and the body. An individual’s purpose relates directly to physical and mental health.
Jewish physician Viktor Frankl says “Man’s main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life. That is why man is even ready to suffer, on the condition, to be sure, that his suffering has meaning.”
Years later researchers James Crumbaugh and Leonard Maholick created a scale that measures life purpose. They wrote that PI includes “1) believing that life has meaning or purpose, 2) upholding a personal value system, 3) having the motivation and ability to achieve future goals and overcome future challenges.”
The benefits of a purpose-filled life are strongly linked to our self-image. Obviously is you feel good about what you achieve, you feel better about yourself. Right?
That’s what I believe anyway.
I need a purpose in my life. I need to see evidence of any attempt to move forward in my personal, physical, and emotional self.
So far, Dr. Adam Kaplin has guided us through his ABCs for Good Mental and Emotional Health by using elements that intertwine one with the other. His instruction is ongoing. Look at what we have accomplished so far. We know we need assistance. We now take breaks from worry and daily drama. We communicate our needs, wants, and desires. We no longer add insult to the existent reality of our condition. We Exercise! and are mindful of our diets and sleep.
Let’s put it all together and do the hokey pokey. This week think about the following:
- What drives you?
- What energizes you?
- What are you willing to sacrifice to reach your goal?
Yes, Shakespeare warns us to Beware the Ides of March. Our parents cautioned us to not talk to strangers. We avoid spiders, snakes, and rabid dogs. Ghosts, skeletons, and witches may plague us at Halloween but we can close our eyes.
That only leaves MonSters and we are learning daily how to beat them down.
This week we are finding PURPOSE and doing it together.
You are not alone,
Lisa, Lady With the Cane
Kaplin, Dr. Adam. “ABCs for Good Mental and Emotional Health”, MSAA’s The Motivator, Summer/Fall 2020, p. 26.
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