Have you ever had a day where you suddenly felt a little better than usual? Maybe the stiffness wasn’t as bad, the throbbing dulled just enough, or you had a rare moment of energy. And what did you do?
You caught up. You cleaned. You shopped. You cooked, organized, lifted, reached, sorted. You made plans. You felt a small spark of your old self and you went with it.
And then… you crashed.
That familiar, cruel pattern. You wake up the next day (or even later that same day), and the pain you experience comes back louder, more intense, as if to punish you for daring to act like you were okay. And now you’re not just hurting again—you’re paying for it. You need extra rest, extra recovery, and often extra help.
I’ve lived with chronic pain for over 37 years, and still, still, I fall into this trap. It’s like a reflex—a mix of hope, habit, guilt, and a deep longing to be productive or helpful again. When you live with pain day in and day out, feeling a little better isn’t just physical. It’s emotional. It feels like freedom, and we don’t want to waste it.
But here’s the hard truth: pacing isn’t just about slowing down on the bad days—it’s about being mindful on the good ones too. It’s about resisting that urge to “make up for lost time” or to prove we can still do it all. Because we can’t. Not like we used to. And that’s not weakness—it’s reality.
We’re not lazy. We’re not broken. We’re not failures. We’re just human beings learning how to live with a condition that rewrites the rules for how much we can do and when. And learning to accept that is part of the real work.
So next time you feel that familiar itch to go all out because the pain has momentarily eased, pause. Take a breath. Ask yourself: Will I regret this tomorrow? Can I do a little and save something for the next day?
It’s not about doing nothing. It’s about doing what we can—and no more than that. Our bodies are not the enemy. They’re asking us to listen.
Call to Action:
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Reach out. Join a support group. Talk to someone who understands. We need each other—especially on the good days when we might forget our own limits. You can find one of my groups on Meetup or by emailing me at jtomn482171@aol.com or tomn482171@aol.com. We meet by Zoom and phone—no one has to go through this alone.
Disclaimer: The views, positions, and recommendations expressed in this article are based on my personal experiences and independent research. They are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA).