Every morning when I turn on my computer and boot up my e-mail, a lovely post appears from a fiery woman named Danielle LaPorte.  Her blog is titled White Hot Truth and I never know what will show up -- a song, a quote, a poem, a musing.

Today it was a simple question written in large script across the page:

What are you tolerating?

Isn't that a great question?

We tolerate so many things, letting them accumulate on the edges -- and sometimes even in the center of our lives.  Unanswered letters, cluttered desks and drawers, cars that need to be fixed, freezers that overflow so we can't get one more thing in them.  All of these are irritating tolerations that distract us a hundred times a day.

Then there are the larger, more insidious tolerations.  We tolerate thoughts that eat up our precious energy:  "I can't, it doesn't matter, it's not worth the effort."

We allow ourselves to tolerate relationships that don't support our growth, less-than-ideal self-care, and work that is dead-end.

We rationalize this -- but we let so many things stay in place because we're ... what?  You fill in the blank.

We don't put forth the effort to make a change.

I learned a long time ago that our tolerations actively sap our energy.  For every undone project and every jam-packed clutter zone, we pay a price.  A tiny bit of energy drains out.  If you are tolerating lots of things, your energy deficit may be larger than your energy credit.

When you live with a chronic illness, this is an expensive way to go.  You need your energy, your initiative, your sense of power and control.

You can take that energy back.  It is a simple process.

Start eliminating those tolerations.

I suggest people begin with a list.  Don't worry about how many items there are -- or how minor they seem.  Every one counts.  Write them all down.

Look for the easiest ones to eliminate.

Decide what you can do today and tomorrow.  Do two or three.  Then pick five to cross off by next week.

I once worked with someone who needed new glasses and hadn't taken the time to go to the eye doctor.  She also was out of checks, and got behind on bills, and her daughter was toddling around in shoes that were too small.  Then there were minor things like a car inspection, and a hall closet where you couldn't hang up anything because it was full of coats no one was wearing.  She had a longer list, but this was where she decided to start.

Three weeks into the project, she was feeling stronger and happier and more in charge.  She even felt that her arthritis was improved.

I think it had a lot to do with not feeling so overwhelmed and stuck.

What are you tolerating?  What will you do about that today?  This week?

When you get rid of them, I promise you will feel better -- in lots of ways!

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It's the time of year when we're thinking about vacations.

Maybe you are anticipating going away, or perhaps you've already gone.  Some of us are just dreaming about it.

Vacations are essential for everybody -- and particularly for those who have a chronic and painful condition.  The break in routine, the exploration of new sights, the creation of memories and relaxation all contribute to a healthier mind and attitude and body.

Yet we often put that need aside.  "I can't afford to get away!"  That's our usual excuse.

Whether we can't afford the money or the time or the energy, we give up and put vacations on the back burner in our mind.

The reality is that we don't need to go away for a week or even physically leave our homes in order to get some of the best benefits of a vacation.  We can create "mini-retreats" or even brief mental vacations that can offer us some of the best nourishment of a time away.

To do that, there are a few pointers.

"Set the table."

By that, I mean, put aside a little time and prepare for your mental break the way you would for any trip.  Think of where you'd like to go.  And it works especially well if you choose somewhere you've been and loved.  Using your memory and imagination, recall specific details of the place -- smells, sounds, the slant of the light, what you are wearing ... make it detail rich.

Last year my daughter and I took a brief trip to San Francisco for her high school graduation present.  It was one of the best trips of my life -- and I will never be able to repeat it.  So, I have thousands of delicious details tucked away in my mind so I can take that trip again any time I want!

Put lots of wonderful things on the table.

It's a vacation, remember!  So you get to eat, and put your toes in the water, and feel the sun, and listen to the birds and the wind in the trees -- whatever pleases you.

To ramp up your relaxation, use all your senses.  Eat something, listen to certain music, put out a scent.  Have a raspberry, sniff a rose, hold a beach shell.  The more you stimulate your senses, the more you will relax.  Look at pictures that remind you of how happy a time you had and are having again!

Spend as much -- or as little -- time as you please.

You will get the benefits very quickly.  Your pulse will slow, your mind will unclench, you may be breathing a little more easily, and for sure you will find yourself smiling.

That's what happy feels like.  You don't need to do this for very long.  The effects will last for a while.  When you need another break, do it again.

The best effects happen if we practice vacationing regularly -- every day, or twice a day.
You give yourself a big sunshiny happy vitamin.

That's a break we can all afford and it offers a rich payoff.

Bon voyage!

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I want to share a fantastic story that, while not related specifically to arthritis, is related to the struggle we all have to be our best human selves.

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor was a 37-year-old neuroanatomist working for Harvard Medical School doing brain research, when she suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage (otherwise known as a stroke) and, as she puts it, "became an infant in a woman's body."

It took her nine years to recover.

The story for which she wanted to live -- in order to tell -- was about her amazing experience of having the left side of her brain shut down, while maintaining full processing on the right side.

It was a very different sensation.  The right hemisphere is about connection and dissolving boundaries.  Dr. Taylor describes peace, serenity, unity, bliss.  She felt universally related -- a part of everything and everyone.

If you have a moment, watch this fascinating video below of Dr. Taylor discussing her ordeal and her life's work:

NOTE:  You can download audio, video and iTunes versions of Dr. Taylor's talk at the following link:

http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html

Dr. Taylor's recovery was intense and she reflects in her book, My Stroke of Insight  (Kindle Edition), what a journey it is to motivate one's self to do things that are painful and very, very difficult.  This part of her story is inspiring as she recounts her rehabilitation and slow progress -- and how she stayed motivated to continue.

Most compelling to me is her determination that we should all experience the right side of our consciousness, and find ways to "run that circuitry" on a regular basis, rather than solely relying on our left hemisphere to captain our destiny.

In an upcoming CreakyJoints podcast, Seth describes one way to access that feeling.  He did some stretching that aligned his mind with his body -- and he felt clear and open.

For some people it's their creativity that connects them with universal flow.  For some it's a willingness to give.  And for others this happens with mediation, prayer, music, worship, or nature walks.

Whatever opens those circuits for you, I urge you to do what Dr. Taylor suggests -- spend some time relaxing and allowing your right brain to dominate your consciousness.  You will be more peaceful and, through that, you will share that peace with those around you.

This can change the world.

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