tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49780874743755464292024-03-05T07:10:59.032-08:00Create Your Way to WellnessLooking at life in my own special way. Life is for living in a way that leads to good things for you.
If you're not enjoying your life, you're not looking at in in the right way.Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-39541160643255361202017-04-19T02:44:00.002-07:002017-04-19T02:44:56.880-07:00Let Your Creativity HelpI'm sure most people at least one thing they love to do that shows their creativity. It may be visual art, or writing. It may be cooking, or singing, or it may be any number of other 'creative' things. Personally, it's writing for me, whether it's prose of poetry, it makes me happy and I feel proud of what I create when doing it.<br />
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If you have your thing you love to do, but can't find the time to do that, it can have a deadening effect on your life, and can make you sad. I say, why not think carefully about how you might be able find some extra time in your life and let your creativity bloom!<br />
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Creativity and better health, as well as feeling more energetic and keen to be 'involved' in life have been linked in many studies over the years. From my own life experiences, I certainly agree with them. The people I know in my writing life would agree with me on this too, and are living vibrant and active lives, getting involved in their community as well as with their writing friends ...<br />
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So if you're trying to do something good for yourself, why not turn off the TV and be creative. You won't harm yourself and you most probably will be doing good for yourself!Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-63201299843931333032016-06-28T02:16:00.002-07:002016-08-17T01:28:34.423-07:00A New ChallengeI was reading a library book the other night, and I was struck by something I read, and thought, yes, I can do that! I placed a bookmark in the book, marking the relevant page and then did pretty well nothing more about it, beyond picking the book up a few more times and sagely nodding my head, as if to say to myself, yes, that's what I'll do.<br />
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It may not have actually looked like I was doing it 'sagely' - I'm not totally sure what that might look like anyway. But I'm here now, and I'm going to look at the book again, and then get on with it. The book is a non fiction book - "a field guide for {MEMOIR, JOURNALISM, AND TRAVEL}immersion writing" written by Robin Hemley,<br />
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I love the way that most of the book title on the front cover is in lower case, with the bracketed words all in upper case. It seems quite hard-arsed (or -assed, if you prefer), and up-yours, which is an attitude I've been playing with recently. I have a particular new poem that has been well received by my friends, and is a very hard-arsed poem indeed.<br />
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So, this book talks about being there with the thing you are writing about, not being a dispassionate observer, but writing more about how you react to, or are affected by what you are writing. I like that kind of thing, and am using that style a bit more often in the monthly newsletter I edit, the 'Mallala Crossroad Chronicle' ...<br />
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Getting on with what this is all about, it relates to Exercise 4 in the Immersion Memoir chapter of the book. This exercise calls on the reader to start a blog,where they engage in a project and report on it. I almost immediately thought of my role as the Writer-in-Residence at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Poetic-Justice-Cafe-Gallery-1579852282248841/?fref=ts">Poetic Justice Cafe Gallery</a> (PJs) in Gawler. I go to this cafe three times a week to be the W-in-R, and sometimes at other times for various reasons (to get a great coffee and something yummy to eat, for instance!).<br />
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I began doing a poetry workshop every Sunday morning at PJs, and I'm involved with a small group of women who get together there and chat about life, the universe and everything. It's a terrific collection of people, getting together in a lovely supportive cafe/gallery/community. The person in charge of the place Gayle, is an amazing woman, well versed in community work, and a marvellous cook. The food, the coffee, the art, the people, it all adds up to being a wonderful place to be. When you add to that the fact of my three self-published books being on sale there at the cafe/gallery, where I will sign a copy for anyone who buys a copy, it's a match made in heaven!<br />
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So, Sunday is the day I do the poetry workshop, Monday is the day for the Precious Gem group get together, and Thursday is because my weekly writing group (I'm the President) meets in Gawler at a venue across the road and a bit further along the way. So I go there for lunch that day, sometimes have a meeting there with the secretary and/or the treasurer, and then I head off to the other venue, which is the <a href="http://pa-hotel.com/">P/A Hotel</a> (Prince Albert). It all slots together well, and I'm loving Gawler more and more as I meet more Gawler people. I don't live in Gawler myself, but it's the biggest town close to where I live, further north in the country. Gawler is a near-suburban place, trying to hold onto its rural/country roots. There is a lot of interesting history in Gawler, and a strong cultural feel, that will fade away if more people don't get involved in the things happening.<br />
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I'm doing my part, the writing group is too, and the Poetic Justice Cafe Gallery is also working toward promoting Gawler as a great place to be! So the project I will be reporting on is the Writer-in-Residence project, perhaps focussing on the the Poetry Workshop. The workshop group is called Write Yourself Well, and is based on my strong conviction that Creative Writing is an excellent therapeutic way to get a handle on the things going wrong in your life, whether physical, mental, spiritual or emotional. When life hands you more than you feel you can handle, your mind can go into overdrive, or it can shut down, or it can just start running around and around without ever slowing down to do anything useful. Creative Writing can certainly help you get a sense of control back.<br />
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I have certainly been up-lifted by writing creatively about my own journeys in life. I've written a poetry collection about some very personal issues (<a href="https://damagedchildrenpreciousgems.wordpress.com/" target="">damaged children, Precious Gems</a>), and my memoir about how I felt about Multiple Sclerosis coming into my life (<a href="https://mickjaneandme.wordpress.com/">Mick Jane and Me - Living Well with MS</a>) these two are sombre books in part, but with a strong feeling of hope for future times, and written with a feeling for the positive things in life. The other book is the oldest of the three, an illustrated book (<a href="http://dig-it-carolyn.blogspot.com.au/">Dig It! Gardening Tips for Dogs</a>) written way back when my son was at Primary school (he's now 22). My friend did the illustrations, while I wrote in the voice of Buster, a dog who loves gardening. This fun book has gone through around 5 reprints (of quite small numbers each time, but still ...) I have the following up to Dig It! written, illustrated, printed and ready to be launched at the end of next month, during the Gawler Festival of Words. Exciting times.<br />
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Much of this second book in the Buster series (Doggone It! Mindfulness from a Dog's Point of View), was written at PJs, and the book, and another of mine are being launched at PJs, which seems entirely appropriate! Some of the members of both the Sunday and Monday groups (some of them the same people) have helped me with this book, and they are all supportive to me. Having written all of that, it feels like I have books coming out of my pores, I almost hesitate to say what I wanted to write next ...<br />
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Here goes: I've begun working on book three in the Buster series, and book about the thoughts of the Dog Buddha, called, not surprisingly "Dog Buddha's Thoughts!" with this book I stayed with the title beginning with a D, and there being an exclamation mark at the end. The beginning D is almost like the head of a dog, with the exclamation mark being the dog's tail. I just thought of that, I'm glad the thought came when I had a screen, and my hands on the keyboard!<br />
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I'll end this here, stay tuned for more, I will write so that you almost feel you are at PJs with me, sipping the coffee and savouring the wonderful food!<br />
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<br />Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-50514694148604915072016-06-06T20:45:00.000-07:002016-06-06T20:45:18.541-07:00Who are you?If someone asked you, 'Who are you?' How would you answer? I've been thinking about this subject, off on and on, for all of my life, I think. The reality of course is that I am many things, wife, mother, former dog breeder, poet, writer, thinker of sometimes deep thoughts.<br /><br />
I am also a friend, and a community member, whose 'community' brings together the things that interest me. If the question was changed to this one - 'What do you do?' I would have to say, I write and I try to enjoy my life. They may have been expecting me to say what my profession was, as in, I'm a public servant, or I'm a stablehand, or some such thing. I've been both of those things and others, and both earned me money, the public servant earned me the most. (as a teenage stablehand, I wasn't paid much, but I was working for my dad, and didn't expect much money from it anyway - I was still at school).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIHZSzTYAQOzXct101qEZwqvkJQ2SLf4XZCfOoZqSV91JZjAZJrH-n4BvCFxKHmrU6_PvtZUkdad8FPgaSzJhl-QN2sRMNgKrX1BWhrlbXlVJHkKEZGqIslFVNeyIEs_L_tTD-TP9sxo/s1600/doggoneit+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIHZSzTYAQOzXct101qEZwqvkJQ2SLf4XZCfOoZqSV91JZjAZJrH-n4BvCFxKHmrU6_PvtZUkdad8FPgaSzJhl-QN2sRMNgKrX1BWhrlbXlVJHkKEZGqIslFVNeyIEs_L_tTD-TP9sxo/s320/doggoneit+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">image from my most recent self-published book <a href="http://dig-it-carolyn.blogspot.com.au/2016/05/doggone-it-mindfulness-ready-to-take.html">Doggone It! Mindfulness from a Dog's Point of View</a>, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">to be launched at the <a href="http://www.festivalofwords.info/">Gawler Festival of Words</a> in July this year</span></div>
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This question of being labelled by how much money I earn is obviously not terribly important to me. If it was, I would write fiction of the kind that sold thousands of copies (or try to, anyway), instead of writing the blogs I write, poetry, and self-published bits of fluff, or things of interest to me and some others perhaps, but not well marketed. If I was a crack self-promoter, I may be able to make lots of money with the kinds of writing I do. I'm not sure that's the way I wish to go though. I have a chronic illness that slows me down somewhat at times, and that means I don't go well if I'm feeling stressed. (This is a proven thing, not just me having a whinge ...)<br />
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Living a stress-free life means I can live well, and that is certainly a good thing. I'm happy to be a good-enough whatever it is I'm going. Surely being Good Enough should be all I need to do? And sometimes other people tell me they find my actions inspirational, or say a poem I've written speaks to them in good ways. To those people I always say 'Thank you', and try to continue to act in ways that seem good to me. Good Enough is the starting point, and I hope Good Enough becomes Good, the more I do it.<br />
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So, thinking about who I am, I suspect the main thing about who I am, is that I am a person who tries to be a good person. Good in word and good in action too, for if I say I am doing good things, but don't look like I am, if my actions don't match my words, then I may not be a good person at all. Some good actions are unseen, a smile at a stranger that is given back to me by that person, that is a good thing to do, but I certainly wouldn't hang a sign around my neck proclaiming that good action to the world. I feel doing good things is its own reward, and when I look at my day and think on my own actions, I'm happy that I can almost always say inside that I have been a good person today.<br />
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The writing group I'm president of has a theme of Identity for the Festival we're holding this year, and that thing is why I began writing this blog post. I identify as a writer, and poet professionally, I suppose, I will never be a mega rich one of those, I am only know as these things in a small way, but they are important to me, and they add meaning to my life. I certainly don't in my heart, identify as being a 'disabled person' although I am that too. My disease is a part of me, yes, but it certainly isn't who I am. Who I am, goes well beyond multiple sclerosis, and is a limiting kind of label for me, although I'm aware some people are able to use their illness in an uplifting way, but for me, it is a minor part only of who I am.<br /><br />That's it for this post, but I may go on pondering these thoughts for a while yet. Identity certainly was part of my first poetry collection - I am a survivor of child sexual abuse, and that is where some of my labelling of being an inspiration to others has come from. Being inspirational to other people who have also been abuse is one of the things I am most proud of. The journey from victim to survivor, and then thriver is a difficult journey and I wish my fellow travellers well. <br /><br />So who are you, which labels are you happy to wear? After all, many people may try to label you, but we all have our own story, and only we, are the ones who should have the permission to apply our labels in life. What do you think? I'd love to know your thoughts about this ...Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-54180211449425405522016-03-09T01:30:00.001-08:002016-03-29T01:48:34.177-07:00Handling Life's Rubbish<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;">"You don't have to accept rubbish, just because it's being handed to you."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;">I wrote this in response to a comment someone had written on Facebook, and after I'd written my words, I started thinking about what I'd really written. People often give opinions about you that you feel are unfair and untrue. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;">We are all the best judge of the truth of things in our life (if we are truly honest with ourselves). But if people say things about us and we just accept the so-called truth of what they say, we can begin to believe the lies too. This sounds ridiculous, but some people can be so powerful in the way they say things, and the talk can be so consistent, we can indeed doubt ourselves.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;">But the reality of it is that no-one knows more than you than you do, and if it really feels like a lie to you, after you've properly considered it, then the other person probably is lying. And if the thing being said, and the unwanted things being handed to you are wrong, you truly don't have to believe the words or accept them. <br /><br />And if people constantly give you tasks to do that don't seem like they're actually yours to do, then you don't have to take on the task. If it's your actual paid job, and the task is your job to do, then of course you have to do it, if it really is in your job description, and it's not illegal, or against the rules for doing that thing. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;">If people are loading your life up with rubbish, you never have to accept the rubbish. Turn your back on the giver of rubbish, close your ears to the untruthful words. Live the life you believe is really yours.</span>Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-41055540647128420722016-02-21T02:17:00.000-08:002016-02-21T02:17:12.350-08:00Write Yourself WellThis is the name of a poetry workshop I am running every Sunday. It takes place in Gawler at the beautifully name Poetic Justice Cafe Gallery. The workshop is based on creative writing, about many different things in life, and has a small but dedicated band of attendees.<br />
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There is a payment for attendees, but the cost is minimal, because I feel I am still very much a trainee at being a workshop presenter. I am confident though that I am worth at least ten times what I am asking for. To me, the important thing is that I am introducing people poetic ideas to people who formerly thought poetry had to rhyme, or who hadn't written anything poetic for many years.<br />
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The venue and the people whose venue it is are supportive of what I do there, in fact, one of the couple attends the workshop if and when she can. Sometimes she has to get up and serve a customer, because that's her job, the poetry is just for fun.<br />
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The workshops last around an hour and a bit, the coffee is good, and the food is great. The art works on the walls are interesting, with one artwork in particular that is interesting to me - it's a portrait of me, that one of the artists on display painted, using a photograph she'd taken of me. I feel humbled that this lady felt compelled to paint me, and so thrilled with the quality of her work.<br />
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This cafe is a special place for me, I am there three times a week as the writer-in-residence, and copies of three of my books are there for sale. If anyone buys one of my books when I am not there, the people there take the money to hand on to me, and they let the book buyer know that if they come back when I am there, I will sign their book for them. It's a terrific arrangement for all involved!<br />
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I believe deeply in the therapeutic power of creative writing. Two of the book I have on sale at PJs helped me a lot as I was writing them, and putting the words together. I feel my health is going well partly because of my creative writing. Partly medication too, of course, I can't deny that. But feeling positive about life, and looking further into the ins and outs, the bits and pieces that make up a life, these are good things to look at!Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-36746845474546693652015-09-01T02:19:00.000-07:002015-09-01T02:19:31.957-07:00How I See My Life Right Now<b>Today I posted a comment on an online group I visit every day. It was a random bit of silliness, following on from my far more staid and sensible and relevant comment.</b><br />
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<b>This is the comment:</b><br />
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<b>"<span style="background-color: #f4f1cd; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.00119972229px; line-height: 18.0018005371094px;">My life is a multi-coloured glitter ball of creative fun and hugs!"</span><br /><br />So the next time you see or say something silly, and start smiling, why not share it with others, and spread those lovely, healthy and happy smiles all over the place!</b><br />
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<b>I was having a silly moment of fun, and forgot about it after. Then I received an email indicating that one of my fellow group members loved the comment. And then another email indicating the same thing. I went back to my initial post and read it all, and thought, wow, how silly, but how much fun that was.</b><br />
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<b>Then I thought about it, and realised what we all need sometimes in life may well be these little random bits of silliness now and again. No-one is hurt by it, and indeed, if it gives other people a bit of a smile, then that is a fine thing!</b><br />
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<b>I did a super quick search on Google, and found <a href="http://inspiyr.com/9-benefits-of-smiling/">this</a>. It's the first article that Google gave me, and I love it because it is so relevant to my blog. This is a <a href="http://inspiyr.com/9-benefits-of-smiling/">link</a> to the article, which tells of 9 reasons why smiling is good for you. </b>Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-1342972250109525302015-02-24T03:52:00.000-08:002015-02-24T03:52:08.279-08:00Helping you to sleep at night<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m interested in knowing whether my tactic to help
me sleep at night works for other people too. I’ve had troubles with getting to
sleep sometimes, and don’t like the idea of taking medication for the problem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My troubles haven’t been severe for a long time,
but I was still a little bit concerned about the length of time I was taking to
fall asleep, so I tried a couple of different methods. The first was simply going
to bed when I was feeling a bit sleepy, then lying down and concentrating on my
breathing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This worked OK, but wasn’t a sure-fire bet to work,
so I kept thinking about it. Next I tried the slow breathing again, and
counting my breaths. This seemed to work better, but I wasn’t sure if it was
really working because I wasn’t paying attention to the numbers enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, next I decided to count for a certain number of
deep slow breaths. The number of breaths I was to count to was 500 breaths. I’ve
been doing this sleep-making method for a number of weeks now, and I’m happy to
be able to report that I am yet to get to the number 500!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I start the counting and slow breathing, and I go
to sleep. If I’m disturbed before I get to 500, I start again from the
beginning – one … two … three … and so on, and zzzzzz asleep!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I ask others reading this blog post, who have
trouble sleeping, to give this method a try, and let me know how it goes for
you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We could be onto a healthy and wonderful non-chemical treatment!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-32443199589812352122015-01-09T19:47:00.004-08:002015-01-09T19:49:28.722-08:00An Interesting ChallengeI'm a member of the online group 'Daily Challenge'. This website has many members from around the world and has built up a big community of people who take on challenges sent to them via email every day, and then report back on what they did.<br />
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There are different 'tracks' to choose from. You choose a track you want to follow, and do the challenges sent to you for the month (28 days), then you choose a different track. I usually choose to do tracks that get me moving, usually gentle moving for me, not full-on cardio rampaging. I enjoy the exercises, but for the past couple of months have gone for quite different things. My last track I've finished was all about uncluttering.<br />
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I'm a bit of a squirrel, the way I collect things and file them away for a rainy day, then forget where I put them, when the rain comes down. This uncluttering track was certainly a challenge for me. I did it though, tidying up a couple of things, spaces, handbags, my phone and so on. I hope the things I've learned about will keep on happening.<br />
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When I look over at one of the spots I tidied up, it still looks neater than it was. That doesn't mean it's absolutely pristine, but it doesn't look quite like a junk heap/fire hazard. It's a start, and everything has to start with something ... The track I'm on at the moment is all about finding fulfillment. - <a href="https://challenge.meyouhealth.com/tracks/finding-fulfillment">https://challenge.meyouhealth.com/tracks/finding-fulfillment</a><br />
<br />
My challenge for the day was to write a letter to myself now, from myself in five years time. It was an interesting challenge, where I had to think about where I want to be in five years time, and what I want to be doing. I also had to think about what advice or encouragement I could/should give to myself living here and now. Useful things to think about, that's for sure. The idea is that the person doing this challenge will take on that positive outlook for their life and their choices and it will help them to achieve what they want to achieve.<br />
<br />
I certainly hope some of what I wrote comes true, but even if it doesn't, I'll have fun working at doing all I can to help it to come into my life. And isn't that an important thing? The destination may be wonderful, but the actual journey undertaken to get to that destination can be wonderful too. I'm enjoying my life, my journey to the greatness I aim at (tee hee), but even if I never actually make it to greatness, only pretty goodness, it's still a good life I'm living.<br />
<br />
Do you ever get so caught up in doing the mundane things in the daily struggles of life that you forget about the wonderful things you're working toward? Or do you forget to look around, and enjoy the journey you're on? Having challenges, and thinking about them often can help you stay on a positive track in life, and yes, that wonderful destination may well be reached. And even if you never reach that wonderful place, the views and adventures along the way will be well worth seeing and doing!<br />
<br />
Sharing my challenges and results to the people I connect with on Daily Challenge is fun - we meet each other, and get an understanding of their lives, and can become far-away friends. One day, I would love to meet up with some of my lovely friends from this website! Some of them are from South Australia, and it would be simple enough to actually meet them for real, but the others, in America, and other places, well, who knows what may happen! Making the connections online may be the first step to overseas fun. My community stretches all the way across the world!<br />
<br />Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-35970551811384812022014-12-31T18:57:00.000-08:002014-12-31T19:00:55.488-08:00Creativity and New Year's Resolutions<span style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;">For 2015, I hope to boost my creativity even more and accomplish great things. I don't know what all of those great things are, at the moment, but I do know that being as happy and healthy as I can be will assist me in achieving them.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;">One of the things that helps me to achieve happiness is to have gratitiude for things in my life, with that in mind, and in response to my task today, for Daily Challenge, this is what I came up with for my " Three Things to Be Grateful For" challenge. <a href="https://challenge.meyouhealth.com/tracks">https://challenge.meyouhealth.com/tracks</a>" </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2yisR1AaIlyGzE6WZzPVjnm3ak1gHH5x3-c4EFx8p5CV3wTzRA6shf2pl7mgpDPZ1_Wb-2SnZp1SX27jnbHjJLcWYG3xkXiXYI3qS1QVGXZUzCHLZAJhFxmlpz0VoWKtlvQNQ9uILFU/s1600/me+making+point+at+book+launch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2yisR1AaIlyGzE6WZzPVjnm3ak1gHH5x3-c4EFx8p5CV3wTzRA6shf2pl7mgpDPZ1_Wb-2SnZp1SX27jnbHjJLcWYG3xkXiXYI3qS1QVGXZUzCHLZAJhFxmlpz0VoWKtlvQNQ9uILFU/s1600/me+making+point+at+book+launch.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;">There are so many things to be grateful for, it's hard to limit the list to only three. The most important one is my darling husband. He brings so much good to my life, from the mundane - the money that pays the bills, to the funny things he does and says, to the dear warmth of him and his hugs. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;" />
<span style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;">Second item I'm grateful for is the power of the written word - having books to read and enjoy or learn from, to the words others write and read aloud at the poetry readings I attend, and my own words I write and bring hope, happiness and understanding or a good laugh to myself and others.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;" />
<span style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;">Number three will always be Nature - I am eternally grateful for the trees and plants that grow and flower and fruit, bringing beauty and food to all. And Nature in glorious mode, with the dark cloud and gorgeous rainbows, and the beautiful big blue Australian sky that arcs over the lovely sunny Aussie days!</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;" />
<span style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;">All of that and more bring me hope and joy every day of my life.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;" />
<span style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;">If I may have a fourth thing, that would be my friends, I am so grateful for each and every one of them - from my family who are the most important friends, to the friends I know in real life and all of my friends I've met through the wonderful Online world, I am so grateful for each and every one of them, of you!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fbf7d6; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.8019790649414px;">Thank you everyone!</span>Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-90858189289179106962013-05-20T18:52:00.000-07:002013-05-20T18:52:13.193-07:00Living With Chronic IllnessWhen a person's body is doing the wrong thing, and the person is suffering from a chronic illness, it can be a sad and lonely time. There are quite a few chronic illnesses (auto-immune diseases) where it's the body turning against you, that causes the problem.<br />
<br />
Thers are a few different auto-immune diseases:<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diabetes (Type I) - affects the pancreas. Symptoms include
thirst, frequent urination, weight loss and an increased susceptibility to
infection.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Graves' disease - affects the thyroid gland. Symptoms
include weight loss, elevated heart rate, anxiety and diarrhoea.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Inflammatory bowel disease - including ulcerative colitis
and, possibly, Crohn's disease. Symptoms include diarrhoea and abdominal pain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Multiple sclerosis - affects the nervous system. Depending
on which part of the nervous system is affected, symptoms can include numbness,
paralysis and vision impairment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Psoriasis - affects the skin. Features include the
development of thick, reddened skin scales.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rheumatoid arthritis - affects the joints. Symptoms include
swollen and deformed joints. The eyes, lungs and heart may also be targeted.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Scleroderma - affects the skin and other structures, causing
the formation of scar tissue. Features include thickening of the skin, skin
ulcers and stiff joints.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Systemic lupus erythematosus - affects connective tissue and
can strike any organ system of the body. Symptoms include joint inflammation,
fever, weight loss and a characteristic facial rash.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Autoimmune_disorders<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the one of these auto-immune diseases that I know well. I was diagnosed with MS in February 2010. I'm a poet and writer, and at the time of my diagnosis, both before and after, I used creative writing to help me to keep a hold onto how I was feeling and coping.<br />
<br />
I'm doing well with MS. My current medication seems to be working well, and I'm able to still do most of the things I want to do. As well as my medication though, I believe my positive attitude to this illness helps me to manage how I'm going. I'm using positiveness and physical exercise to keep on moving. Not everyone with MS progresses inevitably to a wheelchair, and I want to stay out of a wheelchair for all of my (long) life, if I can.<br />
<br />
I've written a variety of different kinds of things about MS, depending on how I'm feeling. Some of my pieces of writing are serious, some funny. Some are prose and some are poetry. The important thing, is that these are MY words, telling MY story.<br />
<br />
I feel that an incredible important part of dealing with a chronic illness like these is to have some sense of control. I feel in control of MS, at least to some extent. Looking at MS in a positive way, and taking actions such as physical exercises to assist my body to cope, help me to be in control.<br />
<br />
Creative writing, and Wii Fit exercises are helping me to keep on keeping on.<br />
<br />
I'm currently writing a memoir about my experiences with MS. This memoir is in verse, and includes some of my poetry and prose about MS. Writing this memoir has been an interesting process, and I have had some amazing sources of help with the writing.<br />
<br />
I applied for and received a grant from the Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability Trust to pay for a verse mentor (Ray Tyndale). I applied for and will receive an award from the MS Society SA & NT Choice Awards, which will assist with the printing of my memoir as well as some other expenses. Ray has been a terrific mentor and has helped me in many ways.<br />
<br />
One of these ways was to introduce me to an illustrator, Simon Kneebone. I met with Simon, we talked and he read a draft of my memoir. Simon then set about doing some fantastic illustrations for me to look at and use if I wanted. I loved his illustrations, and I'm thrilled to be paying a talented artist, whose work will add so much to my memoir.<br />
<br />
I'm hoping my memoir will be launched not too long after the middle of this year. My memoir will be titled "Mick, Jane and Me, Travelling Well With MS".<br />
<br />
I've written some more about this memoir on another of my blogs, <a href="http://gardendog.wordpress.com/">here</a><br />
<br />
If you'd like to know more about my experiences in creative writing, or in living with MS, feel free to contact me.<br />
<br />
<br />Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-64272126896078883502013-03-02T21:13:00.000-08:002013-03-02T21:13:16.555-08:00Bounce Back and Live!Have you ever read an article and felt you had to share it with the world? This article here was like that for me, so I've put this link here for as many people as are likely to read this blog post.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/03/the-benefits-of-optimism-are-real/273306/">http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/03/the-benefits-of-optimism-are-real/273306/</a><br />
<br />
I've been told by others that I'm a resilient person. I've had troubles and trials in my life, as we all have at times. My life is a good one though - I have family and friends I love and who love me back. My life allows me to do the things I love to do, and that give me enjoyment.<br />
<br />
I can't really see any reason at all not to look at life in a positive way. No matter what happens today, the sun will go down and then come up again tomorrow. Read the article, and feel the truth of it. And please, leave a comment here - I'd love to know what you think about it all.<br />
<br />Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-23566232443285558742013-01-06T18:58:00.001-08:002013-01-06T18:58:19.675-08:00Sitting and Thinking...<span style="font-size: large;">Sitting and thinking are two of my favourite things to do. My thoughts often appear on Facebook on my own page and in the comments of friends and others. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">These thoughts sometimes surprise me, and I wonder whether I am repeating things I've read previously. The following thought is one I quite like, and feel the truth of. I've done a quick search for it on Google, and didn't find it there. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I'll post it here, and if anyone knows if it's ever been written down before, please let me know where and by whom. So here is my thought:</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">There are none so ignorant, as those who falsely claim
knowledge.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">This thought came to me this afternoon, after reading through the goings on that happened on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ccordon">my Facebook page</a> yesterday/last night. I'm not saying any more about that - I'll leave it for others to draw their own conclusions...</span></div>
Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-84224962124450995432012-09-13T05:02:00.004-07:002012-09-13T05:04:42.855-07:00Tell Yourself You Can, and You Will!<span style="font-size: large;">The power of affirmations is amazing. I was studying last year, and was having trouble sticking with the level of study required.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Then I read something about affirmations and was inspired! I began telling myself I was a good student, over and over throughout the day. I did this for nearly a month, and it became easier for me to keep my head down and get on with doing my assignments.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I got through, and because of the affirmations and my application to doing the work, I now have a qualification in Community Services Work. Since getting that qualification, I feel more capable of doing whatever I set out to do. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">You can find out more here <a href="http://www.successconsciousness.com/go.php?wellness28&4">http://www.successconsciousness.com/go.php?wellness28&4</a></span><br />
<b style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;"><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;">This year I've gained a grant to pay for a mentor to help write a memoir in verse dealing with my new life living with Multiple Sclerosis. I told myself I could do this, and I did. I truly am a believer in the power of Affirmations!</span>Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-3864761246816737422012-09-13T01:19:00.001-07:002012-09-13T01:21:25.256-07:00Keeping Busy, Keeping Well<span style="font-size: large;">I've been busy lately, connecting with others who have the same chronic illness. I've had Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for more that 2 years, perhaps 7 years. I was diagnosed with MS in February 2010. This could have been a terrible lifestyle destroying thing, if I let it be such a thing.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I didn't let it do that to me. Instead, I let myself explore this new life, by writing about it all. I wrote a list of reasons why MS was a good disease to get, in a humorous way, and then <a href="http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/10-reasons-why-multiple-sclerosis-was-a-good-disease-for-me-to-get/">posted that to a website</a> to share my words with a larger audience. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Having MS and pursuing my favourite creative method go together extremely well. I'm a writer, a poet, and having MS means I sit down a lot. If I do too much in a day, fatigue hits me, and my legs get shaky and standing up becomes difficult. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">So I can keep busy, writing, thinking and discovering new things. I can keep on being creative, despite my illness. And I can help other people to discover ways to be creative too. Keeping busy at what you love to do is a great way to maintain a positive attitude.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And maintaining a positive attitude leads to a better life!</span>Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-74290152965949303512012-03-13T20:33:00.000-07:002012-03-13T20:33:16.738-07:00Rate Your Way to a Better LifeI just found this on a list of things - 40 Tips For Getting “Unstuck” In Acceptance & Commitment Therapy.<br />
<br />
I received an email from a group ACT Mindfully | Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Training advertising a workshop. I'm not going to the course, I'm pretty sure it's too far away, and too expensive, but they had the list available for people, so I took a look. It's well worth looking at further, and I'm sure I will do that later, but this particular item jumped out at me and I felt I had to share it with you:<br />
<br />
<b>11. If you’re not sure where therapy is going, ask client to rate quality of life now on a scale of 0 to 10. Then ask what needs to happen to take it up one level. This leads you directly to goals, values and barriers.</b><br />
<br />
This spoke so loudly to me, both personally, and in relation to other people I know and see. I can apply it to my own life at the moment and apply the quality of life rating to things that aren't going well, like I want them to go. I'm pussy-footing around doing something right now, and if I were to rate how I'm feeling about how that thing is going, I would have to rate it at a 5.<br />
<br />
If I ask myself what needs to happen to take it up a level, and to then set goals to achieve that, and to list the values I have that will help it to occur, and the barriers there to stop it from happening, well then I would know what I have to do to hit the rating of 6.<br />
<br />
Having written all of this down, I'm thinking about that 6 rating already, and I feel as though I am a tiny bee's breathe away from achieving it now, I've got an idea of what I have to do, and what might stop me from doing it. I also know what I have within me to help me to get it done.<br />
<br />
I'm feeling powerful now, and I WILL get this thing done!<br />
<br />
I hope you can find your way to get 'Unstuck'. Here is the <a href="http://www.actmindfully.com.au/">website</a> where they have lots of information about these things.<br />
<br />
This way to get unstuck refers to what a therapist could suggest to a client to help them. I'm not a therapist, but a thinking person who cares about my own happiness and the happiness of others. Writing things down has been a tool I have used many times in my life, it helps me to think things through, and not waste time worrying.<br />
<br />
I hope you can find ways to get unstuck in the important things in your life!Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-33831885346391722712012-02-26T20:54:00.000-08:002012-02-26T20:54:05.861-08:00Shut up and listenSometimes we all may need to shoosh up a bit, and properly listen to others. I, and I'm sure many other people, assume I know what that person sitting near me is going to say next. But that isn't always so. If we never listen properly, we'll never find out whether or not this is true.<br />
<br />
If you ask them most people will probably say they listen when others talk. But do they really listen? Do they listen properly?<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">You can't listen properly with your mouth open!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br />
So many people only listen long enough to catch their breathe before speaking again. These people are not listening properly. Waiting until you can say your next thing isn't listening. To listen properly entails giving your full attention to the person speaking.<br />
<br />
<br />
To listen properly, giving someone else the respect of paying attention to what they're saying is a gift, sadly a rare gift. The next time someone you know speaks to you, try listening to them properly listening to them. They, and you, may be surprised at what you hear.<br />
<br />
<br />
Do you listen properly?Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-52808491581747650262012-02-14T23:07:00.000-08:002012-02-14T23:07:20.656-08:00My symptoms caused by Multiple Sclerosis (MS)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">My life has changed a lot since I became ill with MS, but I’m working hard at keeping positive. Stress makes MS symptoms worse, and I certainly don’t want to make myself sicker. Life is still good.</span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Weakness in
the arms or legs</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Loss of
balance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tendency to
drag one foot<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Loss of
coordination<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Extreme
fatigue<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Continence
problems<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Loss of
mobility<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Problems
with or changes in memory functioning<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Muscle
spasms<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I began
putting this list together using information from this website <a href="http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Multiple_sclerosis_explained">http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Multiple_sclerosis_explained</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Different
people have different symptoms caused by MS. It depends on which part of their Central
Nervous System (CNS) is damaged. That’s what MS is, damage caused to the myelin
that coats and protects the nerve fibres of the CNS.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So I’m
dealing with the symptoms as listed above. Some of my symptoms are dealt with
using medicines, some are being dealt with by having a healthy lifestyle and
diet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Some of my
symptoms though aren’t being helped at all, and I’m still affected in some way by
most of the symptoms. There is no cure for MS yet, though lots of people are
trying to find one. The problem in finding a cure is that the scientists and
medical people don’t really know what causes MS. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are
some theories, but none of them have been properly proven to be true. There are
also some treatments that are supposed to cure a person with MS, but again,
none of these have been proven to work, not sufficiently anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Most people
with MS use treatments that can help to reduce the effects of the disease. The
treatments tend to be injections, given daily, every other day or weekly,
depending on which treatment is used. Up until now, there hasn’t been a tablet
that helps fix the symptoms. Now there is one. It’s been available overseas for
about five years, now it’s available on the PBS in Australia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The idea of
taking a daily tablet instead of giving having an injection appeals to a lot of
people with MS, as you can imagine. The new treatment comes with some risks
though, as do many treatments for many diseases. Some people have received
excellent effects from this treatment, so others are happy to take the risk of
using the tablet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’m going to begin taking this new tablet,
Gilenya on Wednesday next week. I hope it will work as well for me as it has
for other people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-74613986204674807452012-02-05T22:47:00.000-08:002012-02-05T22:48:33.882-08:00How To Live a Good Life<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>The past has
been, but it's gone, the future isn't here yet and I can't know what will
actually happen. </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>The present
is right here, right now, and that's the only part I'm living in.</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If your past is still troubling you, have you considered trying to ignore it? I realise that can be difficult for many people, but what I wrote at the beginning here is true.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The past is gone. Think perhaps about why the past is causing you so much pain. Are you trying to live with decisions made before that no longer fit into your life? That can be painful. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Write down what troubles you, and then look at each item in your list, one item at a time. Can you think of ways to help with that particular item. If not, go to the next item. Again, think of ways to help. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Work through your list, and if you can't think of anything you could change that are in your list, it might be time to speak to someone who is trained to help people deal with the issues that are causing them pain.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If you've managed to find a way to change one of your items, so that it no longer causes you trouble, well done. If you've solved one problem, maybe you can solve more. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It may not always be possible to solve your problems, but working and winning at this can bring you hope for better things in the future.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">If you can find ways to look at the good things happening in your life right now, sometimes the bad things don't look so bad. If you wake up in the morning, and can get out of bed, that's the first good thing that's happened in your life. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Enjoy yourself!</span></span></div>Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-80876858223921769632012-01-22T00:10:00.000-08:002012-01-22T00:10:01.430-08:00What is Good Luck? What is Bad?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Luck is neither good nor bad. Things happen, we deal with
them. It’s the way we deal with our luck that can be either good or bad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The answer may be a long time coming, and good or bad, there
are always choices and decisions to be made. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Until the end, who can really tell
which it was, good or bad luck? What seems to be good luck to one, may seem bad luck to another. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">After luck is decided on, there are always more things that can occur to change the way one looks on life's events. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-67818533387659665542012-01-04T22:42:00.000-08:002012-01-04T22:44:50.064-08:00Book review John Birmingham's Angels of Vengeance<span style="font-size: large;">I've recently read the final book in John Birmingham's most recent trilogy. Here'e my thoughts on it:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">There aren’t many authors who grab the reader by the scruff
of the neck, threaten them with extreme violence and then keep them racing
along with them at top speed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">John Birmingham in his recent trilogy does all of these
things and more. He creates action, places and people you truly believe in.
Reading the first two books in the trilogy was a gut wrenching race to the end
of each book, and then an agonising wait for the final book to arrive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The unspoken question was always there – could John Birmingham
pull this whole thing off? Really, think about it – some mysterious thing goes
wrong in the world, and suddenly the whole world gets turned upside down.
Mankind remains the same, some good people, some bad. The stakes are high – who
will be the ultimate ruler? And the pressure mounts and mounts and mounts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">There is a broad range of characters here – fuelled by religion,
hunger for power, people seeking revenge. And revenge is there in plenty, the
ending gives visceral knowledge that revenge sought and gained is a sweet thing
indeed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Another great read from Mr Birmingham, a man who gives his
readers what they want, blood, guts and plenty of things that go BANG! in a big
way.</span><o:p></o:p></div>Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-61839308557906888342012-01-02T21:13:00.000-08:002012-01-02T21:13:43.201-08:00Life Isn't Always Going to be GreatI'm the kind of person who always tries to find the good in all things in my life. I have some health issues, I don't have a paid job and don't know if I'll ever get another one. I've suffered some awful things in my early life.<br />
<br />
This is true for many people, I'm well aware of that, many people have much worse than I have to deal with. I have a lovely family, and some dear friends who care deeply for me. I am a truly lucky person.<br />
<br />
One of those dear friends though is suffering at the moment. Their spouse has a mental illness, and isn't doing well with it at the moment. This means my spouse is having a terrible time in their life. I've been keeping in contact with this friend, through emails and txt messages.<br />
<br />
I let them know I care, and I hope they can find a way to find a way to live a better life. At the moment though, my friend only seems to be able to focus on the bad things. They go over the bad things over and over, with no thought of anything else.<br />
<br />
I'm catching up with my friend tomorrow for coffee and a chat prior to our writing group meeting. My friends says they feel the need to talk to someone who at least in part understands what they're going through. I'm not sure that I do in fact have a big understanding of the extent of their issue, but I am more then happy to be there and listen to them as they talk through it all.<br />
<br />
That's what my role in this friendship, I'm there to listen with empathy, and try to help them find some good in their life. That's what good friends do. That's what I will do.<br />
<br />
We've shared good times and sad times. This is one of the sad times. My friend thinks I have some special gift that keeps me happy and positive in my troubled life. I don't have a special gift though. What I have is knowledge that no matter how bad life seems, there are ways to see happier times. Being alive is what helps a person to see those happier times.<br />
<br />
Life isn't always going to be great, but if you wake up and can get up to face the day, you have the potential to live a good life. Positive feelings help me through, they can help us all.Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-49849164576603420092012-01-02T01:35:00.000-08:002012-01-02T01:35:27.140-08:00Thoughts for the New YearMany people write New Year Resolutions. Many people fail to accomplish the things they'd planned to do. This year, 2012, feels somehow special. Some of my friends have said the same thing. We all feel that this year, we can achieve great things.<br />
<br />
I have stated elsewhere that I want to do more with my writing in 2012. I intend writing a new poem on every day in January. I will work toward another writing project when January is over. And perhaps the most important thing is this: I will work toward increasing my physical fitness.<br />
<br />
Everybody should work toward having a healthy and fit body. This has become even more important for me over the past year. In February last year I became ill, and was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS can cause physical weakness, fatigued and a variety of things.<br />
<br />
In the latter part of 2011 I began an exercise program. I strongly most strongly to continue this program. I currently have an issue with my health caused by a trip and fall accident, but I am doing my best to continue doing physical things, being careful not to overstrain my sore ankle. So far it's going well.<br />
<br />
After two days of January, my poem a day is going well too. I wrote a new poem early in the morning and posted it online. I don't expect to write 31 perfect poems for the month of January. What I want to do is to get into the habit of writing on command.<br />
<br />
If I can become accustomed to doing that, I'm expecting it to become easier, with an improvement in my creative efforts. Some people claim they can't write unless their 'muse' is there. I plan to write when I need to write, and the muse can catch up with me later!<br />
<br />
For me, the important thing will be physically writing. The quality of the writing can be tweaked and polished after, but first I must have the words written.<br />
<br />
I will be posting some of my poems to <a href="http://carolyn-poeticpause.blogspot.com/">this site</a>, feel free to have a look, and let me know what you think about my poem!Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-24325823853082699912011-12-30T16:02:00.000-08:002011-12-30T16:02:36.312-08:00Trip HazardsAfter last night's happenings, I've been thinking about hiring myself out as a Trip Hazard Locator. If there's something to trip over, I'll find it! It's not a safe job, but a satisfying one.<br />
<br />
Last night I managed to trip and fall over the rug that is close to where I sit on the sofa. I stood up and walked toward our kitchen, taking my glass of water with me. One metre into my journey, trip, fall, scattering the contents of my glass and crashing down on my bottom and twisting my right foot painfully. Very, very painfully.<br />
<br />
I can't remember the last time I felt such pain. It's OK today, a bit painful, but I can walk on it, carefully. I certainly wasn't able to do my usual Wii Fit exercises this morning. I've done one exercise this morning, and I intend lifting my small hand weights today. I have some other exercises that I do sitting down. I suspect sitting down will be how most of today is going to go.<br />
<br />
Exercise is important to me. I have Multiple Sclerosis, MS, and I'm working at staying up and walking. The more I do, the more I can do. So, perhaps I won't do the Trip Hazard Locator job, I might end up too damaged!<br />
<br />
Trips in the home, though, are a constant issue with people like me. I have what's called 'foot drop' in my right leg. The muscles on my right side are weaker than my left side, because of the damage I have in my Central Nervous System. It's quite a common thing for people who have MS. I have an orthotic device which assists me, but I rarely use this when I'm just sitting around at home.<br />
<br />
Perhaps if I'd been wearing my 'foot up' device, I wouldn't have tripped last night. I don't know, but it's something to think about. When a person has something like MS, they have lots of things to think about. From which shoes to wear, to the weather being too hot or OK, you need to think about the issues and possible consequences of making the wrong decisions.<br />
<br />
Life has become a more mindful thing for me. I have given myself permission to sit and think, and I'm finding great calm from this. If I have a thing I want to do, I'll consider the thing, and usually plan it in a way that makes it work. In the past, I might have just gone and done it, or tried to do it, but failed. Now days my tasks are planned well, and they work. My MS hasn't ruined my life, it's remade my life.Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-84952911778228278062011-12-28T20:22:00.000-08:002011-12-28T20:22:16.419-08:00Promoting Happiness for All<span style="font-size: large;">'If you adjust what you want to what you can achieve, you will be happy with what you get.'</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
Often what people want is completely at odds with what they need. Getting what you want, but ignoring what you need can lead to an unhappy life.<br />
<br />
If you have enough food, good shelter and people to love who love you, you have enough. Wanting more than that is one of the reasons for dissatisfaction in life. People living in the Western World are being conned by big business, and we're told we should get everything we want.<br />
<br />
This is a thing that leads to happiness for big business perhaps, but not for ordinary people.<br />
<br />
Being satisfied with simple things in your life can be the most wonderful feeling in the world. Those simple things can be precious to the person who can see their true value.<br />
<br />
I'm satisfied with my family and friends, my dogs and the good food I have every day.<br />
<br />
That is what I need in my life, and that is what I get.<br />
<br />
I am a Happy Person!<br />
<br />
<br />Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4978087474375546429.post-86852425791854474522011-12-06T19:45:00.001-08:002011-12-06T20:02:16.574-08:00How I try to live my lifeNow, I'm not saying my way is the best way to live life, I'm just going to tell my own way. We're all different, and if the way you live your life works for you, and you're enjoying you life, well done.<br />
<br />
That said, I know there are many people suffering because they hate the life they're living. It's a terrible thing, suffering through life, when life is there to be loved and enjoyed. If you think there are huge things in the way, and you'll never be able to enjoy life until those things are gone, well, you may be thinking the wrong way about things.<br />
<br />
Money, good health, friends, fame, these things are great if you have them, but many people have them and still don't enjoy their life. Then there are people who seem to have nothing, but seem happy. How is it so?<br />
<br />
Well, I've been thinking about these things in the past year and a half. I've come to the realisation, and I'm backed up by others far more learned than me, that our happiness comes from within, not from outside of us. When you look at a child playing, they can seem so happy, sitting on the ground and making things with blocks, or sticks and dirt.<br />
<br />
If we can go back to our childhood and find joy and happiness with such simple things, we can live a happy life forever, if we let ourselves do it. I have a family I love and who love me, I have a house, enough money, and moderately good health. I also have friends who love or at least care about me. I am able to be listened to, and have my words read by others. I am HAPPY!<br />
<br />
I couldn't be much happier than I am right now (well, if I had another car to replace the one I wrecked, that might do it!). So, I wrecked my car, did I plunge into depression? No, I was sad, but so relieved to be uninjured and alive still. I also met some wonderful people the night my car crashed. Wonderful people who did all they could to help me, when they could easily have just driven on, and left me there.<br />
<br />
I was so thrilled to see again that there are still lovely, caring people in the world. That is one of my strongest feelings about the night I wrecked my car. I've been able to <a href="http://carolyn-poeticpause.blogspot.com/">write two poems about the night</a> too, and I suspect my creative writing about the night yet again is part of what helped me to get through a thing that could have been traumatic.<br />
<br />
So, anyway, if I can live a happy life, living as I do with a chronic illness with no cure, and with no car at the moment, what's holding you back? Smile and take a good look at your life - if you can wake up and get out of bed without too much pain, that's surely the beginning of a happy day, so SMILE!<br />
<br />Carolyn Cordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16928724006245769572noreply@blogger.com0