Dealing with any form of chronic pain can be debilitating in many ways. Chronic pain not only affects us physically- but it also has a high impact on us mentally and emotionally. If you are someone who deals with chronic pain, then it is highly important that you supplement your professional care with nurturing self care. Finding the right self care for you may take time, as all of our needs are different- especially when dealing with a chronic pain or ailment. Be open to exploring new ways to support and nourish yourself on this journey, and you may be surprised at the relief and healing that can occur (even temporarily). 

Read on as I share 3 of my favorite self care activities for navigating chronic pain:

1. Meditation. This is a big one for me, though I recognize that this route may not be suitable for everyone. Using meditation as a way to accept, soften, and emotionally grasp chronic pain can be extremely beneficial. Our minds are incredibly powerful, and we can use them to breathe into our pain, to soften and relax it, and at the same time- we can stop the pain → cortisol cycle that takes place within us during one of these experiences, therefore giving us mental and emotional relief as well. If you are open to exploring meditation as a self care option for your pain, I recommend checking out what we have in the Affirmation Studio, or explore the countless (Free!) guided meditations for pain on youtube. 
2. Choosing a stationary hobby. If your chronic pain is debilitating enough that you spend extra time seated or lying, then I highly recommend exploring some new and stationary hobbies! If you already have one- great! Feel free to add another. If you don’t have any- that’s okay too, it means you get to take time sampling, learning, and choosing new and exciting endeavors for yourself. Some great examples of stationary hobbies are: knitting/crocheting, reading, writing, painting/drawing, clay/playdoh, chess/cards/board games, learning a new skill or language, and so many more. There are plenty of options out there that can offer you a feeling of joy, fulfillment, and expression. Creating these experiences for yourself can be deeply healing and serve you in many ways on your journey. 
3. Physical self care. This can look like many different things for different people and their unique needs. Depending on your mobility and situation you may enjoy light stretching or working out. If you are limited, you may enjoy learning simple self massage techniques as a pathway to relief. Otherwise, you can experiment with salt baths, ice baths, acupuncture, or any other kind of physical therapy that is safe and nourishing for you. 

 I hope that this has inspired you to begin exploring more pathways towards greater ease, release, and relief. Know that you are not alone on this journey.