Getting stronger and managing the everyday life

We are often impatient and would like things to change for the better as soon as possible. It is easy to be hard and reproachful on ourselves when we fail or do not succeed as well as we would like.

However, each recovery path is individual and the journey proceeds at its own pace. Do not compare yourself to others, because this is your own journey and unique life.

Be patient with your recovery and journey. It may be wiser to proceed slowly, one step at a time, than to rush headlong forward and fall.

On the other hand, you should not act mercilessly towards yourself, even if you have overestimated your own resources, rushed forward and fallen. It is great that you tried and dared to take a risk! Successes rarely come without failures.

Let a child learning to walk set an example for you. There will be pratfalls and lapses every now and then; they are part of life, and sometimes there will even be tears. What matters is whether you remain lying down after a fall or keep on trying.

Do ten minutes of exercise

Exercise is needed to keep our physical body in working condition.

Studies show that exercise also has a big impact on our mood. The right amount of exercise every day will raise the spirits and make us feel better in many ways. For example, the quality of sleep, memory and the ability to concentrate improve when you have spent time in the fresh air during the day.

It is never too late to start exercising. You can get started already today. Try a ten-minute outdoor activity. It may sound insignificant, but it promotes your well-being.

You can turn on some music and dance or stretch for ten minutes. You can also find a workout group that suits you. Exercise in ways that you love the most, decide for yourself!

It is more important to start exercising than how you do it and how long you can go on. Sometimes resources are so scarce that just putting on jogging shoes and going outside is a good achievement. Some day you will probably notice that your ten-minute exercise has suddenly extended much longer without you even noticing, or that you have done several ten-minute exercises during a day.

However, remember that if you have a cold or fever, you should not strain yourself with exercise. Then you need to rest.

When you are a service provider’s client in social services or a patient in public healthcare, a lot of information is entered about your situation.

The entries are always primarily for you so that you get the best possible help and support. With the help of these records, the professionals who care for and support you stay up-to-date on your wellbeing, everyday life and goals.

It is important that you are also interested in what is written about you. The more you are interested in the records and influence, for example, the treatment and service plans that concern you, the more you are controlling the direction of your own life.

The next time someone enters a treatment or rehabilitation related plan, make sure that the plan and goals are your own. It is important that you yourself know in which direction you are going and what you should do to make your goals come true.

Also do not be afraid to speak up if the goals do not feel like your own and discuss them. Ask questions and request clarification if there is something you do not understand. It is essential that the things that are important to you are noted in the plan.

The records help you track the realisation and progress of your goals. If there is no progress, the plan can be revised and corrected. It is always possible to try something else.

Remember that no one else can live your life. No one else can see inside your head or experience things exactly the same way you can. You are the captain of the ship that is your life.

When things go wrong and your condition worsens, it is easy to see faults in the people and circumstances around you. Often, they do have faults. A perfect world, where everything always works out for the best, does not exist.

On the other hand, it could be that you always blame yourself for everything. Still, the fact that all difficulties are self-inflicted is not the whole truth either. There are things that depend on you and there are things that you have no control over.

You cannot always influence the people and circumstances around you. There will be setbacks. However, you can always influence your attitude towards things. You can creep under the covers and give up, or you can try to cope despite all the difficulties.

You can decide to stay put, or you can decide to move forward. Only you can make the decision for you. It is up to you whether you start living your life or avoiding it.

However, remember that you do not have to do the journey to recovery alone. Accept support and help when you need it.