Reduce Allergic Asthma Symptoms in 5 Days: Bask in Optimism
Welcome to Day 5 in the Reduce Allergic Asthma Symptoms in 5 Days Series.
Day 5: Bask in Optimism
When my allergic asthma symptoms were at their worst, I became really, really depressed. I felt like I really didn’t have much to look forward to because there was suddenly so much I couldn’t do. I couldn’t go for long bike rides in the spring or take my dog for a run. I couldn’t sing or go dancing. Heck, just carrying groceries in from my car (and up a flight of stairs) consistently resulted in shortness of breath and wheezing.
I was young, and had been really healthy until then and suddenly, I felt like I might as well be 80. Yuck!
What I slowly started to learn was that there were things I could still enjoy even when my allergic asthma symptoms were at their worst. And, as I re-learned how to enjoy my life, I found myself a lot less angry about my breathing difficulties.
Sure, there are probably things you love to do that you can’t do when your symptoms are at their worst. And I bet you find that frustrating, too! But, you know what, allergic asthma symptoms can be a great opportunity to explore new hobbies that you might enjoy too.
Now, you don’t want allergic asthma to equal never leaving the house or being active again ;-), but there are plenty of fun, quiet hobbies that you might enjoy for those days when the shortness of breath and wheezing are keeping you from going for that spring hike you had planned.
It’s up to you to find new hobbies that you can still enjoy; it’s up to you to find reasons to be optimistic despite your breathing difficulties. By taking responsibility for your own optimism, I think you’ll find that not only is life fun again, but that you also feel more comfortable with your symptoms and less like someone’s stolen your healthy lungs and given you back the lungs of an 80-year-old smoker.
Here’s just a smattering of the new hobbies I enjoy these days. Feel free to borrow any of them, or to think up your own. You’ll definitely find that trying new things helps you build optimism back into your life and that this will make it a lot easier to accept that with allergic asthma symptoms there may be days when you just can’t participate in some of your old favorite, active hobbies.
- Knitting
- Reading (I just finished the Twilight series–fun!)
- Sewing
- Painting (be sure to use paints that won’t exacerbate your breathing–I like watercolors)
- Stained glass
- Pottery
- Scrapbooking
- Writing
- Journaling
- Having tea with neighbors
- Spending more quiet time with friends (I find shopping can really exacerbate my allergic asthma symptoms some days, but catching a movie with a couple of friends can be a great way to spend time together, too!)
For me, one of the most important things I did to relieve my allergic asthma symptoms was a simple mindset shift. I had to stop fighting my body and insisting it get better so I could “get back to my life” and instead accept that, for now at least, my life includes allergic asthma symptoms. That’s just the way it is right now. And sure, I choose to believe that one day I’ll be 100% healthy again (and I believe that for you, too), but for now, this is where my body is and it certainly doesn’t make me feel *better* to fight that.
So, try on some new hobbies and interests that won’t increase your allergic asthma symptoms and I bet you, too, will find a new sense of optimism and purpose despite your breathing difficulties.
That brings us to the end of our five day series. I’d love to hear what new habits it’s inspired for you and how those habits are impacting your breathing!
To go back and read any of the previous days, here’s the list:
- Day One: Yoga
- Day Two: Eat This Every Afternoon
- Day Three: Drink This Even Though It’s Yucky
- Day Four: Get Some Sun
- Day Five: Bask in Optimism
Which one was your favorite?
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