Embrace Your Destiny: Find Your Mantra

Relaxing after a big walk

 “You’ve Got This!” I had picked up a small interesting looking book on the counter of Elements Spa in Brevard and it flipped open to this mantra. I was struck by its clear message. I thought, “Wonder if I was meant to see this? Why did it open at this page? Wonder what other mantras are in this little book? Maybe I’ll buy it.” I didn’t have time to peruse it further but noted the title was Mantras for Strong Women.

I tucked this mantra away in my mind as I melted into the pleasure of the warm massaging migun bed. The spa music and whimsical ceiling lights were relaxing and intoxicating. “You’ve got this,” kept coursing through my mind attaching to images and possibilities in this phrase. When Sarah started taking my pulses and talking, clarity struck me. The mish-mash of disconnected ideas had taken shape.  “I need to write about this experience.”

Embrace Your Destiny: Time Travel Back

Taken in 2019 in Arizona

I thought it would be fun to travel back in time to talk with young me. Here is some of our  conversation:

“Hey young Judy, do you recognize me? You will be me in twenty years. Sorry about this diagnosis of MS you just received. I remember feeling sad and like my life was over. It’s not! Would you be interested in a few take aways from my experience managing the disease?
 

Acceptance is really hard. My number one take away is: come to grips with the new you. You are the same, but different. You have an insidious, debilitating disease, but that doesn’t change who you are. You are the same person who has a few limitations. It’s like an “Identity Crisis”. I call this part of the my journey the “Self Discovery” period. Does that make sense?”

Embrace Your Destiny: Be Audacious

Doing yoga on a cruise

“Ms. Lucifer, we’ve been trying to get along for twenty years. You were the audacious one during the first half of our journey. You were bold. You ruled me completely. I’ll admit that you were ever present in my mind. I didn’t like you then. Now, I feel like I have come to terms with you in the second half of our acquaintance. Now, I am being audacious in dealing with you. Don't you like this cool word, "audacious" that I learned in Toastmasters? Toastmasters stimulates my audacity. I’m definitely keeping you at bay.”

Ms. Lucifer was quick to note some setbacks. She said, “As I I recall, being audacious has gotten you into trouble. Aren’t I right? 

Embrace Your Destiny: Keep Your Eye on the Prize

Physical Therapy

My prize has always been walking. When I could no longer walk with ease without falling, that's when I had to find out what was wrong. First thing my neurologist had me doing after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis was to see a physical therapist. That was fourteen years ago. At that time, my right ankle seemed to be frozen. My joints were creaky and out of alignment. My balance was really bad. Walking on grass was out of the question.