Relief from Chronic Pain, stress and anxiety

Do you suffer from chronic pain, stress or anxiety?
I have just been reading a book and doing a workbook called Zero Pain Now, by Adam Heller. I wish I had of known this stuff years ago!!!


As you may know I suffer with pain from injuries, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Although the regime I am on helps to control the pain, I was faced with constant breakthrough pain which became very debilitating. Since reading the book and doing the exercises in the workbook I have found that a lot of my pain is related to my emotions. This made sense when I read it because when I am stressed angry or upset, the pain is definitely amplified. 


But even more important, is that I now have a way to deal with it and that is not by stuffing it down or bottling it up.


Following the technique shared by Adam I have been able to release my emotions when they occur. I can acknowledge them and through his technique I can let them go. I have discovered that when I acknowledge and release my emotions my pain level decreases.


I am finding I am able to accomplish so much more in my day and I also feel like I have some control over the pain which for someone with long term pain, this is incredible.


By doing the workbook I have also learned many things about myself that I hadn't realized before.


For me this is an ongoing journey, but I wanted to encourage you to check out his book at http://zeropainnow.com/


I just wish I had known about this years ago.

This is how I feel right now, like a rose bud who has found some warmth and light and is just beginning to bloom.

Chronic Pain

We hear people talk about Chronic Pain, but do we really understand what Chronic Pain is?

There are two main types of pain, acute and chronic. Acute pain is like when you break a bone and the pain is agonizing. Think of the worst pain you've had or can imagine and make this a 9. Acute pain is 9 or 10 level pain and is usually, hopefully, only for a short time until you get to medical help.

Chronic pain is pain that is there for long periods of time, like weeks, month, years and sometimes decades. Chronic pain can go from a 1 right through to a 10 but it doesn't let  up...it goes on and on and on.

Let me give you an example from my life. I have fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. In 1991 I injured my back and it was discovered that I had HLAB27+ a condition which affects the bodies ability to heal. The result was that at only 28yrs of age I was told I would never work again and I would have to live with chronic pain.

I have done everything to counter that diagnosis and was able to return to work briefly, but then the pain returned with a vengeance. It was then that I was given my current diagnosis.

Over the last 20 years apart from a small period of respite I have had to cope with chronic pain. Most days my pain starts at a 2 to 3 and depending on what I do or the weather or stress, it can rise to a 9 or 10. (fortunately for me most times my pain killers keep it below an 8)

The feeling this gives you is one of being overwhelmed, there is no long term relief, and even max pain killers only give you an 80% reduction.

Why am I telling you this? Because I am not alone, many people who look fit and healthy are actually suffering with what we call the invisable illnesses. If you know someone who suffers from chronic pain ask them if you can do something practical to help. Apart from that, understand that they want to participate in life but are often unable to or often start out enjoying something only to have leave or stop because of the pain. But we still want to be asked and included. We know our limits and will say no if it is beyond us.

Chronic pain wears out the body and the brain chemicals are also used up quicker and so the mind struggles to cope as well as the body gets tired. Many people with chronic pain also suffer with chronic fatigue. This is because their bodies are worn out just coping with the pain before they have done anything at all.

So how do we deal with chronic pain. We read up on it as much as possible so we understand it, we join support groups so that we feel there are other people who understand us and then we have to try to find a way to still contribute to society and give ourselves a feeling of usefullness. Fortunately the internet has made that possible for so many of us. If nothing else, we can support others, but we can also learn from home, do art and scan it for others to see, do photography as I do or any number of other things.

So if you suffer with chronic pain I would encourage you not to give up, but to be kind to yourself and if it's a tough day, week, or month then rest knowing it will get back to a better level and if you know people who suffer with chronic pain, ask them what it is really like for them living with their condition and really listen to their response.

New images & general update

I have had a hard time with pain lately, thus not many posts, but am in the process of learning how to let go and trust...not an easy thing to do...but one of the things that has helped is just to sit and enjoy nature & give your worries over to the universe (or God). I have posted some new images at http://juliakharwood.redbubble.com/ Would love you to take the time to go and have a look.


Pain can be so debilitating as it robs us of our life energy and affects every area of our life and all thoses around us. I am fortunate I have people around who love and care for me, some others are not so fortunate. When pain overwhelms me I find it very hard to find a smile, so if you pass someone in the street who can't give you a smile, give them one of yours. It's not usually that they are miserable people, it's usually just that life has become a bit overwhelming.

If you personally know someone who is struggling why not give them a call or drop them a card to let them know you are thinking of them. I have a card shop at http://www.cardgnome.com/shops/jules-fine-art-greetings where you can personalize a card and we will post it for you. Take a moment to help someone less fortunate than yourself. It may be just the thing that keeps them going.

Love & light to you all.

How do you keep getting back up when life keeps knocking you down?

Sometimes life seems really hard. It can be natural disasters, personal crisis, death of a loved one or friend or even death of a pet. Usually it is something in your life that means a lot to you that is suddenly taken from you. How do we deal with this?

Often we are able to deal with one thing or even two, but what happens when it is one thing after another and it feels as if life itself has turned on you?

This is how I am feeling at the moment, a frinds family murdered in the US, a beautiful little dog run over before our eyes, the sudden unepected death of a cousin and then our plans to travel turned upside down. Even little things like deciding to repaint the deck and we get a week of rain.

Sometimes I find I can deal with the big things, but it's all the little ones tacked on that undo me.

Firstly I know from experience we need to reach out to others at times like this, be it friends or a crisis support line, it's important to know that others understand the pain you are suffering. They can't change it, but they can be there.

Secondly, be kind to yourself, allow yourself pleanty of sleep (if you can) or rest if you can't, try to plan somethings during the day to keep you busy, it helps take your mind off things, even if just for a few minutes at a time. If you feel like crying, allow yourself to cry, it is all part of the healing process.

Thirdly, try not to focus on just the things that are going wrong, ask friends to remind you of some of the good things in your life, you probably won't be able to think of any for yourself. The pain is too overwhelming.

I get very angry at God when things like this happen, but I still need him as ultimetly he is the only one who can help me through this. It is alright to let him know you are mad at him, but also remember to ask him to help you get through it.

Finally the only other solace I have found is to get out in nature. For me I go down to the beach and sit and watch the movement of the ocean and it makes me realise that I am only a tiny speck in this universe and somehow, even if I don't know how, I will get through this.

Be kind to yourself, eat chocolate, cry, sleep and ultimately keep putting one foot in front of the other and lean on your friends and family, allow others to help where they can. I will add an image here that hopefully will bring a momentary smile to your face.

Do you like my manicure?

Love to each and everyone of you.

Are you tired of living with pain?

Do titles like this get you excited, that maybe someone can help you...and then all they offer is some simplistic solution to a very complex problem.
I get so fed up with peoples advice and quick fix solutions. If they would work then I wouldn't be where I am today. Obviously if you suffer chronic, long term, pain it is not easily fixable. That doesn't mean we don't try what is available & keep hoping for a miracle, but sometimes people's attitude make the road so much harder than it needs to be.
I get very disillutioned when other people try something I have tried and it works magically for them. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy for them but I then think "Why can't that be me."
At times like this the only releif I get is to take myself out in nature and sit with the birds or the blossoms or the ocean and let the peace it brings wash over me & realise that everyone's road is different & there is a reason for me having to tread this one even if I don't know what it is.
Do you get down and discouraged? What have you found that works for you?

Overcoming pain with love, laughter, and help from above!

Do you suffer with chronic pain? Pain that drives you to despair at times, pain that others cannot understand? Have you tried all the medical options and been told. "Sorry we can't help, you'll just have to learn to live with it"? I do, I have severe osteoarthritis and fybromyalgia and am only 47. Yet despite the odds, I have learned to live with it and how to laugh again. Come on the journey with me and I will show you how. It's FREE, and available to each of you. It is not religion or theoretical platitudes, it is real life and what has worked for me.

"Overcoming pain with love, laughter, and help from above!"

When I say these things people look at me very strangely. How do you overcome pain with love?
I can only relate personal experience and from that experience I have come to learn that if we rage against our pain, which is so often the natural thing to do, then it just becomes worse and we become frustrated and angry.
If we can instead look at our pain, especially those of us with chronic pain, as our friend, as someone who is with us all the time. It is a constant companion, so instead, choose to send it love.

When the pain comes, it is trying to tell us that it's crying out to be loved. So send it love.
As you do that you will find that laughter returns to your life because you will see that in spite of the pain you are able to laugh at life knowing that it is your friend, it's not something that you can change, it's not something to get rid of, it's something to embrace. By that I don't mean making it more than it is, I don't mean hanging on to it, I mean letting it go, loving it for what it is, when it's there and when it's not being joyful and happy.
About now I can hear you say, "She's nuts, who would want to embrace pain?" But for a moment keep an open mind while I explain. I am not talking about clinging to pain or making pain a crutch or becoming a hypochondriac, I am talking about chronic pain that is with you all the time and that Doctors and medical science seem so ill equipped to deal with.

As I mentioned in the title, 'help from above', this is NOT religion, this is not ideology or theology, to me 'help from above' is the real help from the universe, from the creator of the universe. All around us in this world there are things that can help us, for me, that help has come from nature. Being out in nature, being able to photograph nature, and to be able to share it with others and to give something back of what has been given to me.
When I take my camera and I absorb myself in taking a photo out in nature, or even when I am sitting at the computer, working on my images, creating the artwork that I do, I become lost in what I am doing and I feel alive again. I feel that I have a purpose, I feel that the pain has given me something beautiful that I would never have found otherwise. At times when the pain becomes so much that I struggle to find the love to give it that it needs, I ask for help from above. I ask that the white light would pour love into that pain and that the pain would be able to step forward into the white light and I hand it over from me to God, or for others, to the universe, to release it and then rest in the arms of love. That to me is who God is, not religion, not theology but pure precious love.
I hope by sharing this with you that you too will be able to find it in yourself to love your pain, to learn to laugh again and when it becomes to much, to call on the love from above to help you get through.

Look for something that is special for you, be it sitting out in nature, be it looking at artwork or doing some yourself. Be it appreciating what others do for us. We each have our own passion. It may be sitting in a garden or sitting on the beach, it may be spending time with family. Whatever it is for you, find that thing and recognize it for what it is. If you struggle with this, then again, ask for help from above, that's how I discovered my photography, I opened myself up to suggestion and said, "Please help me, let me find something that will take me through this journey" and I found my photography.

I encourage you to do the same. Pain can be debilitating, it can be heart breaking, it can be soul destroying, if we allow it to be, but we can turn it around and we can love it, we can know that it is part of us that is hurting, that needs love far more than any other part, so give it that love, listen to the pain, rest when you need to, don't struggle against it, flow with the river instead of fighting against it. and let yourself be free, finally free to be all that you can be.