LISTEN ON
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We’ve all heard the old saying, “Moms shouldn’t be allowed to get sick!” And it’s true–we shouldn’t! We need to take care of our families, and family life doesn’t just pause when Mom isn’t feeling well. It’s hard enough for the household to continue functioning for a week when Mom gets a bad cold or the flu, but when a mother faces chronic illness or pain, that can be a truly devastating trial.
I’ve personally had a taste of this because I was diagnosed with a chronic health condition several years ago, and the medication I take for it causes kidney stones. For me, the most difficult part is how discouraged I sometimes feel when I can’t care for my family in the way that I would like to.
Several months ago, in the midst of kidney stone pain, I reached out to Becky Farley and Candace Little, the founders of Mindful Art Company, and asked for their best tips on using mindfulness to cope with illness. They sent back the three takeaways that are the basis of our conversation today.
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3 Takeaways on Coping with Illness or Pain:
- Separate your pain from your suffering. In this life, we can’t avoid pain, but we can avoid suffering because remember, pain x resistance = suffering.
- Allow the pain to fix you, and look for some silver linings to your situation. Right now may be a time that you are experiencing a lot of pain, but eventually, that pain may cause something really beautiful to bloom in your life because of what you experienced–both for you and your kids.
- Meditate. Spend quiet time connecting with your body to recognize what’s happening within it. The meditation that Becky and Candace recommend for pain is a body scan, which is an exercise where you get comfortable, focus on your breathing, and think about each body part as you breathe and tune in to what your body needs. Doing a meditation won’t heal your pain, but it can help you handle it better.
>>>Are these tips helpful? How do you cope with illness or pain as a Mom? Tell us in the comments below.
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Get in touch with our Guest!
- Podcast: Common Kindness
- Website: mindfulartco.com
Mentioned in the Episode
- The MAK Pack: Teach your kids about mindfulness and self-compassion using simple art projects and meditations. Use code 3IN30 for a discount.
- The peaceful bird meditation: Try this 3 minute meditation with your kids.
Sponsors
- Self-Assured Motherhood Program: If you are interested in being notified when my Self-Assured Motherhood program opens for enrollment in the fall, text the word SAM (which stands for self-assured motherhood) to 33777. That’s SAM to 33777.
- BetterHelp: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Use the code 3in30 to get 10% off your first month of online therapy!
- Thrive Market: Go to ThriveMarket.com/3in30 for 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift!
