How Grace Has Allowed Me to Live With Migraine Disease
Over the years, I’ve tried many things to help manage migraine disease. One thing is sure, though, that not every management tool is medication-related. My spiritual health significantly affects how I process life’s challenges. I am a Christian, and grace is the foundation of faith. Grace, for me, is unmerited favor. It is given to me freely by God, and it shapes my relationship with Him. It is also a measure I use in my daily life as often as possible during interactions with others and myself. Here is a helpful acronym for grace:
- G- Generosity
- R- Respect
- A- Action
- C- Compassion
- E- Effort
How has my faith played a role in my life?
The process of living my life with grace and faith is constant. I have taken the concept from a religious theology and found ways to incorporate it into a life that is impacted by chronic migraine. It took many years to embrace the ideology of self-care in migraine management combined with other co-morbid conditions. It is easier to extend grace to those around me than accept it. The thought of doing things for me has always been challenging. I enjoy time for myself, but helping and encouraging others has always been deeply satisfying.
How has grace helped with migraine?
Once I began to show myself grace and allowed it to flow through my life, my burdens felt lighter. I have always been hard on myself. Migraine has humbled me, slowed me down, and made me reassess what is truly important to me. Grace has allowed me to see myself and my health as a priority. After all, how can I be productive and help others if I can’t find a way to help myself? It’s like putting on your oxygen mask before helping others, as flight attendants remind us in the pre-flight presentations!
What practices have I placed in my life?
Now, I regularly take time for myself. I read my Bible, listen to music, and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Permitting myself to do these things is possible because I let grace flow through my life. This keeps me charged and able to share that with those I encounter. There are still bad days where I can’t do anything because of a migraine attack that escalated, but that’s ok. I know the darkness will not last forever (even if it feels like it will). Grace keeps me grounded and reminds me to be kind to myself.
What have I learned from these practices?
Living with migraine and other conditions that often accompany it is challenging. If we learn to live with grace and kindness for ourselves, those challenges become easier to manage. I fought against myself for far too long. I can’t get that time back, but I can make changes to make the most of the time that stretches out before me. Being kind and extending grace to others is how I live my life. Finding ways to do the same for myself makes it even better!
What methods do you use to manage living with migraine?
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