I came across a wonderful quote by Anthony de Mello.

In life, one plays the hand one is dealt to the best of one’s ability. Those who insist on playing not the hand they were given, but the one they insist they they should have been dealt, these are life’s failures. We are not asked if we play; that is not an option. Play we must; the option is how.

When I finished reading it, I thought, “Wow, this is what I’ve always thought, but this quote says it so much more eloquently!”

When I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia I was definitely one of those people who tried to play the hand I wished I’d been given (the one I used to have), not the one I had been given. I am a Type A personality, so prior to getting fibromyalgia I was always busy with friends and family, pushing myself in school, work and volunteering. On top of that I am a very independent person, I even was as a kid! It was very hard for me to learn to ask for help doing things I could do at the moment, even though I might pay for it with pain and fatigue for days or weeks. Even harder was my realization that I had to cut back on volunteering so I could feel and do better in school and work. Of course, I had to learn this by realizing the way I was playing my hand just wasn’t working.

I don’t think of making these changes as being defeated by fibromyalgia, I think of it as managing my fibromyalgia. By playing my actual hand I am able to feel better and do more. This is empowering! Not only do a physically feel better when I have so many good days, I also feel better mentally. Often times people are surprised when they find out that I have fibromyalgia, yet still do so many of the things I do. Of course, I can only do those when I’m feeling good, so if that means asking for help more, taking breaks or trying to simplify other parts of my life, so be it!