It is important for people with Fibromyalgia (PWF) to pace ourselves, do less than we think we can, you know ... slow down and smell the roses.
Often, we have so many bad days filled with flares that we find we don't have the energy, stamina, or strength to accomplish everything we want to do. So when we get a pain-free or reduced-pain day with a burst of energy, we want to 'catch-up'. We'll spend the good days trying to complete all the tasks we think we should have completed during Flare-Up days, or worse, tasks we think others think we should be able to complete ... period.
This pushing ourselves into overdrive eventually sends us into horrendous flare-ups.
To avoid this roller coaster of remission/relapse, we have to learn to pace ourselves.
I have two personal pacing strategies developed by me and my children we refer to as the Checkbook Strategy and "What Color is Your Day?"
The art of Fibro Pacing has been referred to as the 50/50 Principle or the 50 Percent Solution (Dr. William Collinge), the Envelope Theory (Dr. Renee Taylor and Dr. Leonard Jason), or the Spoon Theory (Christine Miserandino). When I facilitated support groups and coached individuals in the CFS Empowerment project, I came up with the Checkbook Strategy (FACES, Inc). When they were children, my kids simply referred to it as "What Color is Your Day?" (Philip and Vanessa J.) No matter what you call it, it means learning to balance your strengths, limitations, and expectations.
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