trying to be the General Manager of the Universe?
/I laughed my head off the first time I heard that term. One of my favorite coaches from years ago asked me...
"Are you trying to be the General Manager of the Universe?"
Urmmmm...ya. I was.
And pretty frequently, too!
Don't know if you know this or not but...it's not possible to be the General Manager of the Universe. 🤣
Especially not when you have a crazy illness like Long Covid or ME/CFS/FM. In fact, chronic illnesses are one of the most amazing ways of showing us that we DO have to hand it over. That we ultimately don't have control over everything.
Sure...we still take inspired action. We do the research, we stay abreast of the latest information, we attend classes and take courses that will assist us in healing and dealing.
But we do have to let go of trying to figure it all out and let go of trying to FIX everything all the time because 1. it's exhausting (and we're already exhausted!!) and 2. ultimately...we can't MAKE it happen!
Also, trying to control or manage everything else in our lives (other than our health) becomes almost impossible. So another added "bonus" of being sick...we get to prioritize. (If you haven't downloaded the Self-Pacing Workbook already, I *highly* recommend it...it will help you prioritize big time.)
For many years now...I've given it up, handed it over, let go of trying to control everything. Let go of trying to control most things, in fact. Sure, I still find myself trying to sometimes. Sometimes I can tell I'm trying too hard to figure it out or to get better physically. But that's part of the fun of all of this...because we get to play a game with ourselves. We get to train our minds...bit by bit...to be our employees, not our boss. And part of that training is...to resign from being (or trying to be) the General Manager of the Universe.
I challenge you to give it a shot. Even say it out loud..."I resign from the position of General Manager of the Universe!" And hand it over.
I promise you...the sun is still going to come up in the morning. The flowers are still going to bloom. The trees will continue to grow. And other people will continue to do what they do. And YOU get to do what YOU do.
Here are some yummy yoga practices to help you hand it over and to enter what I call The Fertile Void. Yin yoga is akin to Restorative Yoga. Both are doable for most with Long Covid and ME/CFS/FM. Just make sure to listen to your body and stop if it's telling you to.
To determine which Phase you're in, try this quiz: What Phase of Long Covid Recovery Are You In?
10 min Yin Yoga for Phase I (bedbound and housebound)
45 min Yin Yoga for Phase II and III (if Phase II, stop your practice and take Savasana 15-20 minutes in)
Make sure to let me know how it goes for you in the Comments section!
Big love 🧡
Lorrie
