Part
14: Uncharted Territory
This is my 14th and final entry into
the journey of reconstructing and defining myself. When I took those first
steps into this effort more than a year ago, my objective was ill-defined.
Though I cannot swear it to be true, I believe my plan was an almost whimsical
approach to documenting the success of my 12-month effort to repair “something
broken” in my life. I was searching for resolution; I was looking for closure.
I found neither. Instead, the truth I
came to realize was that there will never be a lasting resolution of my
priorities. That is not a bad thing. Each individual concern I hold dear will
require attention and care for the rest of my life, more on some days than
others. That is a good thing.
If I Could
Offer One Take Away, This Would Be It
My body’s responses (every
intentional, subconscious, and involuntary action) in real time determine its
condition when facing every succeeding moment. Only through my capacity to
monitor, and ultimately regulate in a positive fashion, those responses in each
dimension of existence can I profoundly affect my wellness.
By setting aside the desire for control
or direction over external factors, I am choosing to focus on my own responses.
When I am up for the task myself, I will seize control and regulate my actions
to enhance the values, goals, and many cherished pieces of my life. When
assistance is needed, partially or in full, I will employ the people and the
tools I have assembled. Growing and caring for these resources must become an
integral part of my life. I cannot do this without help.
I encourage my readers to learn more
about The Eight Dimensions of Wellness (or the variation you find fitting).
Through them, I have developed a mindset that functions as the support I need
to exist – to thrive. Every experience is different.
My Experience
What about all your other issues (the
start of this all)?
Although it may seem as if the points
I discussed earlier in this blog series have fallen to the wayside, please be
assured they are integral in every step of my development. I have established a
goal of resetting my paradoxical relationship of holding onto memories (of the
past) and anxiety over consequences (of the future). I am a work in progress.
I frame my world every day with the
help of Dr. Debbie Stoewen’s Eight Dimensions of Wellness.
Physical Dimension
- Caring for your body to stay healthy now and in the future
Intellectual Dimension
- Growing intellectually, maintaining curiosity about all there is to learn, valuing lifelong learning, and responding positively to intellectual challenges
- Expanding knowledge and skills while discovering the potential for sharing your gifts with others
Emotional Dimension
- Understanding and respecting your feelings, values, and attitudes
- Appreciating the feelings of others
- Managing your emotions in a constructive way
- Feeling positive and enthusiastic about your life
Social Dimension
- Maintaining healthy relationships, enjoying being with others, developing friendships and intimate relations, caring about others, and letting others care about you
- Contributing to your community
Spiritual Dimension
- Finding purpose, value, and meaning in your life with or without organized religion
- Participating in activities that are consistent with your beliefs and values
Vocational Dimension
- Preparing for and participating in work that provides personal satisfaction and life enrichment that is consistent with your values, goals, and lifestyle
- Contributing your unique gifts, skills, and talents to work that is personally meaningful and rewarding
Financial Dimension
- Managing your resources to live within your means, making informed financial decisions and investments, setting realistic goals, and preparing for short-term and long-term needs or emergencies
- Being aware that everyone’s financial values, needs, and circumstances are unique
Environmental Dimension
- Understanding how your social, natural, and built environments affect your health and well-being
- Being aware of the unstable state of the earth and the effects of your daily habits on the physical environment
- Demonstrating commitment to a healthy planet
As an individual battling multiple
sclerosis, aggravated by countless secondary complications, care and attention
start with the efforts I must take. A massive collection of providers, family,
friends, and connections to the resources I need to come together every day of
my life. Whether I guide their steps or accomplish my tasks according to their
direction, we have to work together if I am going to thrive.
My next efforts will spend some time
detailing my experiences in each of these eight dimensions of wellness. It is my
hope that the words I offer will entertain my readers while providing a glimpse
into what it may take for someone, be it themselves or someone close, to
survive. Perhaps the example I demonstrate can comfort a person who has that
horrifying feeling nobody else could possibly understand.
I promise to continue sharing my life
for no other reason but because I want to breathe life into pages far beyond
anything I have accomplished to date, telling tales conjured up by my constant
noise. No longer will I look to put words down solely to ease my anxieties. My
stories will be written because, as my mind floods with the images I create,
sometimes I smile. I may laugh, cry, or even nod my head in approval of the
tale. On other occasions, the crafted images chill me to the core. I want to
elicit a bounty of reactions as I breathe life into stories, narratives,
reflections, and rantings.
This is my story about how my
ambiguous “everything” twice came crashing down, as if from every possible
direction, and the gap of time before my eventual reconciliation with The Eight
Dimensions of Wellness.
Every individual’s experience is
unique, as are their needs in each dimension of existence.
Find your own peace — I hope my
discovery will help.
The End
Reference
Stoewen,
D. L. (2017, August). Dimensions of wellness: Change your habits, change
your life. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5508938/
***
The full draft of my story will be
shared on this secure drive location: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1E4cNpkFBU4qf3zYDIqZ5Nw72DzhGe88r?usp=sharing
These are the thoughts going through
my mind as I try to piece it all together…
This is not
about what my life will be like when the fight is over.
I will never
stop
I will never
quit
This is my
story
https://mssociety.donordrive.com/participant/Eleanor
100% of the
royalties earned from my books go to the National MS Society, to support our
fight: http://neverstopneverquit.com/books
Never Stop…
Never Quit…®
Kevin Byrne
Portland, OR
www.neverstopneverquit.com
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