The best part of my day is my son's voice in the morning and his stories in the afternoon after school
I am loving these responses. Keep 'em coming!
When I am down with more pain than usual. When the world is not cooperating with me. I find GOD in the bad if the day. I know there are a lot of people who are no longer alive to feel any kind of pain. I strengthen myself by looking in the past and seeing the progress that I have made learning how to live THE BEST life I can live. I refuse to give this affliction any more life than it already has. I place my faith and my fate in GOD’S HANDS and HE HAS YET to fail me. We all need that HIGHER POWER to believe in. It doesn’t have to be GOD but it has to be someone or something that we can draw strength from on a daily basis. Because we live our lives day to day but there is no two days that are alike. The fact that we are all still here bears testimony that we are doing something right.
AMEN!!!
if i am stressed best thing that helps me is walk outdoors with my dogs...but i lost all my dogs recently.
If down due to illness, a phone call to one of my friends helps as we usually end up laughing, reading, my dogs just laying near me, or a good movie can all help.
I do love gardening but if sick, well gardening only make it worse though some days, i will just dead head a bit or other easy garden chores while i take dogs out to go potty..being outdoors always improves my mood, except cold foggy weather!! or extreme cold.
baths are nice and help. I have a good book i read for just in bath. I am afraid to bring e reader in tub for fear it will get wet so i still read bound books there which is nice.
In all honesty, this group of caring people brightens my day. 
My daughter's smile. She has a life threatening illness and has a hard time of it. I love to see her smile through all the trials she has. I love to read, it takes me away to another world. I love watching ID channel, I know crime shows aren't that uplifting, but to me, the human mind and what dysfunction can do is interesting. I love my poodles, love to see how excited they are to see me. My oldest daughter and my little grandson bring me much joy. We have lived apart from them for the past year and haven't seen much of them. I have missed them so much. My brightest light right now is: We are moving back there in a month!!!!! I am so excited. All of these things tend to override the pain. I've spent nearly 5 years dealing with my youngest daughter's health, compared to hers, mine is nothing. Spending night after night in recliners in the hospital when you want more than anything to have your own bed. I have learned to suffer and keep on keeping on. I never realized how strong I was until strong was the only choice I had.
Spending time with my dog Biscuit and working on/with plants jammin out to music!
Knowing that all these wonderful people are here online, helping each other and making the world a better place.
Church makes me feel the same way.
I feel the same way. I am so glad to have found this site.
Audrey
On really severe flare days the last thing I want to do is talk to anyone but my husband. Laughing is the only thing that helps as I snuggle up in my recliner. Laughing releases endorphins---serotonin=natural pain relief, it works for me. I don't feel like talking, reading (can't keep any kind of train of thought). I do love finding really humorous books as I feel a little better.
The one thing that really helps is medittion. I've practiced TM years ago, using a mantra. What I find just as helpful is meditating concentrating on my breathing. I close my blinds, get in my recliner in my bedroom, and ask my husband to turn the tv off or turn it way down so I don't hear it. He's a reader from the word go, so the tv going off is not a big deal. Besides he knows if I'm in a flare, he'll do anything to help me. I find myself going to another place, concentrating on only my breathing. As you practice you'll get better, all you do is think of the breath, going in and going out. If you have small children (my heart goes out to you), you'll have to find a time when their napping. At any rate, if you need more specifics I'll be more than happy to try. Your muscles will relax and this will help the pain. Relief for a short period of time at least. If you can practice the breathing meditation a couple of times of day for 5-10 min this should help your mental state also. It usually takes at least 30 days to establish any kind of program.
Also, gentle stretching. There are a couple of positions in yoga for me which are especially helpful for me since the majority of my body pain is in my arms, neck, and upper back. The Cobra position, laying face down on the floor, put your hands flat on the floor with your elbows close to your body. GENTLY, push yourself up, looking towards the ceiling. If you haven't been doing stretching and your tight, you probably will not be able to look clear up to the ceiling. DO NOT force yourself, this will cause more problems than help. But it will help if you do this several times working up to six. It will help.
Another yoga position that helps is in the standing position, clasp your thumbs. With arms straight and stretched out in front of you, Gently bring them up, up to the ceiling and gently back, then slowly bring them down in front of your face. Repeat this several times.
The best thing to do is look up the yoga stretches online and see what works best for you. We all have different strengths. Just don't overdo it, or you'll be cursing me :-) out in following posts. I'm thinking it may be a better idea to delete my ideas on stretches and yoga...Just look these stretches up first please. If you have a problem finding them let me know and I'll help!
I do love comedies, so if anyone has found any please let me know. I hope you don't think I'm ridiculous but I enjoy going "brain dead" and watching things like "Mom." I have other shows I enjoy but I think I've gone on long enough.
Thanks for letting me share my ideas with you.
Hugs, Susan D.
Just saw a full on rainbow out the back door! Jumped and giggled like a kid.
Freshly snow covered mountains. First days of Spring. Beautiful flowers. When our grandchildren come down to give us hugs.
Music I love, George Winston, Josh Groban, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Sara Brightman. Funny movies. :-)
I too love rainbows.
On my rough days, I get a nice cup of tea and watch an old show or movie to help me keep my mind on something else. But if that doesn't work, go to the tub with Epsom salt, and a little peroxide, and a little lavender bath oil. And relax with another cup of tea and lavender candles... The bath does help, most of the time.. And then read or another movie and rest.. Hope that helps you. Have a blessed night..
Ive also heard epsom salt baths help the FM pain too. The magnesium in the epsom salts goes directly into your body and relaxes you. I will have to tey it, especially when I get those knotted up hard muscles that just wont relaz.
What kind of tea do you find most helpful?
A call from my sister who lives in Texas. She is my best friend and understands me completely. Spending time with my daughter who is married and lives about an hour away. Working on my crochet projects, helps to focus my thinking. Spending time with my husband doing just about anything. Being outside when the weather is nice.
Silly nonsensical videos on Youtube
Going to a campy movie with friends and making our own dubs like we're the cast of 'Mystery Science Theater 3000'
Indulging myself in past times that my family deems "immature" like reading comic books
My friend's endless puns and goofy haikus that she posts on facebook
Chronic illness cat humor page on facebook/pinterest
A warm mug of matcha (finely ground green tea leaf powder) tea while watching the "sitcom therapy" television block on logotv
Yelling at a stupid couple on 'Property Brothers' complaining about the fixer-upper. Geez! They're going to fix it! Like Felix Fixit from 'Wreck-it Ralph'!
Watching the Property Brothers on mute. Me-ow