#accepting limitations

We Have the Answer—We Just Don’t Like It

Another repost from my church's communal blog. This time, it's on accepting your human limitations...yea I don't like that either. But it's necessary.

You’re Human, and That’s Okay

Hello, my name is Richard W. Anton. I am a writer. I’m sorry to say that in the last few years all I have written is a dozen or so brief blog posts. In fact, I hardly ever write and yet I call myself a writer.

I know what this sounds like, but I have ideas, advice, future scenarios, and it seems to me that I ought to share these for someones benefit, if only my own. Perhaps I’m just a little…

I was having one of my “tired days” yesterday, and when I came home from work, I went directly to bed. I did get up later, but never with the kind of focus I needed to be able to write a blog post (well, not one that would have been coherent, anyway), so here is my Wednesday post on Thursday. I’ve mentioned my interest in nonfiction before, but I’ve also become interested in writing fiction too.…

Lex says:

I’m glad you managed to get a diagnosis! I know I was really relieved to finally have that validation. It’s definitely hard to accept new limitations and what is really a new way of having to live your life going forward. 

I wrote this post a while back about some things that really helped me accept my diagnosis and my new life as someone with a chronic illness and with a disability that might be helpful. 

What I didn’t say there, though, and has been really key for me, is distraction. Find something that you are physically able to do that you really enjoy and throw yourself into it when you have free time. For example I am a metalsmith, and make jewelry. When I felt really depressed and overwhelmed, I used to just go down to my studio and carve pieces (for wax casting) or even just spend time designing. Since I graduated and started my grad program and haven’t been able to do that because I don’t have access to a studio space, I’ve taken up knitting, especially in the evenings when I find I get bogged down in those ruminative depressed modes of thinking. That helps me to focus my energy outside my own head a little. 

I also really try to be open and reach out to friends for support. There are some people who won’t be able to “handle it,” but you’ll find some really true friends who will really be there to support you and help you talk through some of your thoughts. 

Turnips : Full Disclosure

  It has taken me a while to post this painting of turnips and a bowl from last week’s class. I was not feeling it, and I don’t like this one. I mean, the only thing I do like about it are the parts that SD helped me with, really.

It was a bowl and turnips on some wonderfully textured burlap-ish fabric. Honestly, it was overwhelming. I felt defeated right from the start.

It might have been…