You’ve taken medications to help your body rid itself of viruses, bacteria, balance your hormones, and/or mold.

The doctor says you’re medically well, but you sure don’t feel well.

You’re still wanting to stay in bed to sleep more yet yearn to get back out into the world.

Chronic fatigue isn’t resolved by taking a magic pill, or two or twenty.

One piece of the puzzle has to do with your inner world.

There are three factors that impact your recovery from chronic fatigue. They are:

1. State of Your Nervous System

The state of your nervous system is dependent upon whether you feel safe and secure – physically and emotionally.

Anxiety, fear, frustration, worry and irritation send your nervous system into high alert trying to decide to fight, run away, or hunker down.

Down at the cellular level those feelings and excess stress is triggering a maladaptive stress response in your body. Ongoing feelings of anxiety, worry and stress is feeding the maladaptive stress response that ultimately drains and depletes your body of energy.

2. Habitual Personality Patterns

There are five personality patterns that tend to drive the maladaptive stress response – Helper, Achiever, Perfectionist, Anxiety, and Controller. The underlying beliefs under each of these personality patterns are I’m safe when helping others before me, I’m not enough, I’m only safe if I get it right, I can think myself into feeling safe, and I am safe when I’m in control.

Do you identify with one or more of these patterns?

The way you respond to one or more of these tendencies are depleting and draining of energy. The stress, angst, frustration, and anxiety continue feeding the maladaptive stress response that wastes your precious energy.

3. Your Emotional Life

Emotions are like food. They need to be digested, processed, and eliminated from the body.

Emotions are biochemical reactions between your mind and body. Allowing yourself to feel those sensations and vibrations lets them dissolve rather than leave a trail of metabolic waste in your body.

Your body is a professional at processing emotions. Overthinking and pushing away uncomfortable sensations are problematic because it makes everything worse.

What you think creates your feelings.

Likewise, what you feel creates thoughts.

The feeling of safety exists in the body and the mind.

Thoughts and feelings you choose to accept switches the maladaptive stress response on or off.

The more emotionally safe you feel, the quieter and calmer your mind becomes, the more your body is in a healing state.

Cultivating useful thoughts and feeling your emotions invites safety and switching off the maladaptive stress response so your body starts healing.

What you think about what’s happening around and inside of you matters.

It matters because your brain is a professional at making up fictional stories about facts.

Facts are circumstances everyone can agree upon. Chronic fatigue, anxiety, husband, car pulling out in front of you, and a comment a friend says are facts.

Interpretations about facts and circumstances are sentences your brain makes up. You get to decide to attach to the sentence of not. 

Interpreting facts from different perspectives is a brilliant trait all humans have. Without differing perspectives, innovation would be a rare commodity.

Chronic fatigue is a fact. It’s something your health care team and you know is factual because of infection within your body. You even have test results to prove it.

You may very well may interpret the fact you have chronic fatigue as your body is defective, is your fault, or there’s no hope.

Those interpretations are stories that are keeping you feeling fatigued.

The great thing about stories is that you don’t have to attach to them because they’re fictional.

You get to choose which stories to believe or not believe! Just like selecting a novel off the bookshelf.

The fact you have chronic fatigue due to a viral infection is great news. What?

It’s great news because modern medicine helps eliminate the infection. It’s also good news because the fact you have chronic fatigue from a viral infection is enough information to figure out what to do next for your recovery.

The human body already has the proper tools and knows how to heal. She needs medical assistance at times. And, she also needs you to adopt a new storyline to create an inner healing environment. Nonetheless, she knows exactly what to do.

Changing my story about having chronic fatigue from infection and mold toxicity revealed that detaching from old stories, slowing down, and compassionately connecting with myself, and redesigning my life and workstyle will lead me to recovery.

What story are you choosing to believe about your chronic fatigue?

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Detoxing your mind is a great way to become aware of your thoughts. In this blog, I will walk you through a simple process to become aware of unintentional thinking that’s interrupting your healing and growth.

Thought awareness strengthens your emotional health because what you think causes emotions that drive your reactions and results.

Most of the time we allow our minds to wander aimlessly. We think the brain is in full control. The problem is you don’t realize you can control and be intentional with your thoughts, emotions, behavior, and the results you’re getting in your life and health.

Most humans are unintentionally unconscious with their thoughts. 

Our brain offers 60,000 to 70,000 thoughts a day!! It’s so fascinating how our brain creates thoughts without our conscious help.

One of the functions of the brain is to detect danger inside and outside the body. It’s wired to warn you about what it perceives as dangerous. This job resides with our primitive brain – the limbic system or lower brain.

Problem solving occurs in the prefrontal cortex. It’s like a computer system that we have the ability to program with our thoughts and emotions (pretty cool!).

We have the ability to control 1-5% of our brain. All that’s needed is awareness.

Detox your mind by paying attention and sorting your thoughts. 

I coach using a thought model framework created by Brooke Castillo to analyze and change our thoughts. This framework isn’t anything new and based on the age old principle that what you think create your results.

Circumstances trigger Thoughts create Feelings drive Action(s) that create Results.

The result of your recovery or what happens for you in life is heavily impacted by your thoughts and emotions. Your result provides your brain with evidence that your thought is true and you feel terrible. If you’re not getting the result you want  then your body remains in a non-healing state.

Remember the brain thrives on patterns and associations so it’s actively looking for what you’re thinking regardless if your result works in your favor or not.

Let’s start becoming aware and analyzing some thoughts you have.

First, write everything you have on your mind onto a piece of paper.

This process is called a thought download. Spend 10 minutes jotting down what your brain is thinking. Ask it what’s going on? What do you think about a specific circumstance (your health, a job, client, event, etc.)? Write the good, bad and ugly.

At first, a to to-do list may come up. Write it down. Pretty soon you’ll start to notice different thoughts bubbling up. Write them all down.

A thought download isn’t eloquent in style. A bulleted list in a notebook, on a scrap piece of paper, or a cocktail napkin will do.

Let’s prepare for analyzing those thoughts …

Circumstances are facts that we give interpretations to. Those interpretations are thoughts.

Circumstances are situations that can’t be disputed in a court of law. We can all agree you have a diagnosis for Lyme disease but not everyone will interpret that the same.

Sort through your thoughts. Most thoughts begin with I have/need to, I should, etc. These are our interpretations about a fact (fatigued, achy, Lyme positive, etc.).

Pick one thought that resonates the strongest for you to explore. Ask yourself, “why are you thinking this? What am I making the circumstance mean? Keep questioning until your brain no longer has an answer. That last thought is a limiting belief. It’s the thought that’s holding you back.

Time to analyze one thought.

On the left-hand side of a piece of paper, in a column write the letters: CTFAR.

On the C line, write down the circumstance triggering your thought. Remember, C’s are facts everyone agrees on.
On the T line, write down the thought selected from your thought download
On the F line, write down the emotions that you have when you think the thought
On the A line, write down how you react, what you do, and what you don’t do when you’re thinking the thought in the T line and feeling the emotions in the F line. [Note: Be sure to stay within that thought and emotion! We tend to jump into the positive because we don’t want to feel the discomfort. Stay with it! It’s so worth it to understand the power of thoughts]
On the R line, write down the result of your thinking, feeling, and reaction.

That result provides the brain with evidence that your thought is true. The brain will continually offer this thought because it has proved it’s true.

So, do you want to keep that thought you’re thinking?

Thoughts are optional. You have the power to change thoughts you no longer want.

Intentional thinking is where you get results you want and love.

Create an intentional thought to get the result you want. 

Start with the R line. What result do you prefer? Write that down.
Ask yourself what you need to do to get that result. Write them down in the A line.
Ask yourself how you need to feel to take Action to get your Result. Write that down in the F line.
Ask yourself what thought will help you create the feelings to take action to get your result.
Voilá, you have a new thought.

Use better thoughts to create what you want.

Take your new thought and say it out loud. Write it down on post-it notes. Place on your monitor, mirror, dashboard in your car, and wherever you will see it. Schedule reminders on your phone. Say it out loud when you do!

Give yourself the gift of self-coaching.

Sorting and examining your thoughts detox your mind to bust down those limited thoughts preventing healing from chronic fatigue.

Decide to be intentional with your thinking so you help your body relax into a healing state.

Gift yourself with a daily 10-minute practice of thought downloads and modeling.

Inner peace and healing begins with awareness of unintentional thinking to create intentional thinking, healing, and results.

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Ready to learn to self-coach? CLICK HERE to learn how by scheduling a free Insight Session to talk about your healing journey, where you want to be, and how the Reset for Recovery program will work for you.  

Have you seen the video about 3 Lies Preventing Healing From Chronic Fatigue yet? CLICK HERE to get instant access and on my email list.

You often look outside yourself for answers rather than inside.

You look to doctors and other health practitioners to fix you. All of you.

You want a magic pill that cures your ails in the shortest amount of time because you’ve got things to do. I know – so do I!

Most importantly, your body and brain know exactly how to heal but your interpretations from the outside get in the way.

This is not to say that medical treatment isn’t necessary. Modern day medicine is amazing and lifesaving!

Don’t discount that medications, vaccines, surgeries and other modalities have a profound effect on health and longevity. Medical treatment assists your body to heal from internal invaders and necessary for recovery.

I offer that healing is also already available inside of you.

The body is exquisitely designed to ward off trespassers and fix any damage done. Yes, a genetic tendency toward a specific disease effect healing efficacy, but still the ability is there. It’s a beautiful human trait.

What gets in the way is overscheduling, participating in gossip and drama, being a helper and fixer, pleasing people, questioning your worth, chastising yourself for your illness, a victim mentality, and pushing yourself to get that one thing checked off your list.

Drama, feeling obligated and sorry for yourself sets off anxiety and stress that’s, in turn, pushing your body out of a healing state. A little stress and anxiety is normal but your body isn’t equipped to deal with an overwhelming load of it.

You might make a genetic tendency or the fact you have chronic fatigue, Lyme or some other illness mean that your body is failing you, broken, unsalvageable, not good enough. This thinking raises anxiety and stress within your body. Again, sending you into a non-healing state.

Pay attention to what triggers your body and mind off. Notice what your body feels like when negative thoughts start up in your head. Likewise, take note what you’re thinking when your body feels wired or heavy. Notice your breathing or lack of breathing.

Pause and take full body breaths that fill your belly all the way up to your heart center of your chest.

Focus on your feet connected to the floor or ground. Keep breathing fully until you feel settled and present in the moment.

You have a choice to remain in a high state of anxiety or bring yourself down to a calmer state.

Choosing to pause and breathe allows your body to calm down into a healing state then change your thinking and behavior that supports a healing state so your body can do her job.

To be human is beautiful. Our body knows exactly what to do.

To be human means we can choose what we think, feel and do that aids the time, energy and money spent on physicians, medication, supplement, and quality food. And, head toward recovery.

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Ready to learn how to change your mindset to long term peace and calm? Grab a free mini coaching session to chat about where you’re at in your healing journey, how to get you back into a healing state, and how the Reset for Recovery program can help you. CLICK HERE to book your session.

Check out the 3 Lies Preventing Your Healing From Chronic Fatigue video and get the Reset for Recovery newsletter. CLICK HERE to gain access!

When you think about emotions do you find yourself avoiding them?

Do you shudder at the idea of allowing emotions?

Showing emotions, outside of happiness and love, are silently frowned upon by society.

You’re told to woman up, wipe those tears away and get moving like a big girl, and suck it up buttercup.

Our culture taught us that emotions are bad and not to be expressed. Ever.

Tucking away and ignoring your feelings makes your brain and body overfire and overwork.

I want you to know that emotions are perfectly normal human responses to circumstances happening around and inside you and with your thoughts. According to Wikipedia, emotions are biological states associated with the nervous system brought on by neurophysiological changes variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure.

Emotions are simply biochemical reactions flowing through your body triggered by a circumstance, thought, feeling or behavior. Their energy is meant to flow through your body.

Emotions can be positive, negative or neutral experiences.

Positive emotions, like love, joy, motivation, are what humans strive for. But your brain tends to point out negative emotions trying to protect you, even if you don’t need rescuing. That’s what the human brain does – moves away from discomfort to seek pleasure.

Negative emotions can be uncomfortable, especially those held onto for a long time. Emotional pain and suffering are the result of holding onto unprocessed emotions.

Unprocessed emotions disrupt the healing state of your body resulting in a stalled recovery.

The good news is that despite the discomfort of some emotions, you can handle processing them. Your body is designed to handle them, just like your body is designed to heal.

Your thoughts create feelings that drive action that create your result.

If you’re thinking you’re not worthy because of chronic fatigue then you might be feeling inadequate. Inadequacy drives you to think more negatively about yourself, withdraw and isolate yourself. Beating yourself up, withdrawing and isolating are causing your nervous system to overwork and feel even more fatigued.

Wouldn’t you rather think that chronic fatigue is reminding you to slow down? That thought creates the feeling of self compassion. When you feel compassion for yourself then you take care of you by resting, slowing down, breathing, meditating, and eating supportive foods. As a result, you give yourself and your body exactly what it needs while supporting an inner healing state.

Stop ignoring and reacting to your emotions!

Get curious about what you’re feeling instead of deciding it’s harmful and dismissing it.  

Get curious where you feel sensations in your body.

Are those sensations fast, slow? Hot, cold? Tingly, dull? Tight, loose?

Do you notice a color or shape?

Practice watching your emotions as if you’re sitting next to yourself.

Soon those sensations will dissolve away, just like they’re supposed to, and you’ll feel better.

Emotional wellbeing is a necessity to recovering from chronic fatigue. Understanding, processing, accepting, and allowing emotions equate emotional wellness. Emotional wellness is a required ingredient to getting your body back into a healing state so you recover from chronic fatigue.

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The Reset for Recovery program is about creating intentional thoughts and feelings that support chronic fatigue, along with supportive tools and tactics. Together we reset your nervous system from a tired yet wired state to a calm and healing state. CLICK HERE to book a free mini coaching session where we talk about where you are in your healing journey, where you want to be, and how the Reset for Recovery one-to-one coaching program supports you.

Have you seen my video about 3 Lies Preventing Your Healing From Chronic Fatigue yet? CLICK HERE to check it out and get on my mailing list.

Have you noticed feeling worse with a lot of negative thoughts bouncing about in your head?

Have you also noticed feeling great when your mind is full of wonderful things?

Your thoughts contribute to your body being in a healing or non-healing state.

The brain and body are a team. They work with each other but miscommunication happens, just like between friends or coworkers. Misinterpretation is the culprit of miscommunication.

In this case, a signal is a thought your brain offers about what’s going on outside or inside you. How you decide to interpret what’s happening determines whether your body is in a healing state or amped up in an effort to calm your system.

Two things happen with the interpretation of your thoughts:

1. Your brain focuses on and looks for patterns and associations (i.e. looking for evidence)
2. Your brain is creating a neural pathway

Neurons that fire together wire together, especially with repeated exposure.

A neural network is created as your brain is searching for patterns, making associations, and providing evidence your thought is true. This neural network gets stronger then silently runs in the background with repetition of habitual thinking.

Negative or stressful thoughts create a maladaptive stress response that continuously sends messages to your body to keep fighting off infections and inflammation – even when it doesn’t have to! The maladaptive stress response is interrupting the healing that your body needs to rid itself of infections and inflammation by keeping your nervous system in a state of high alert.

The great news is that thoughts and beliefs CAN be intentionally changed. You can intentionally change your thinking patterns to create a strong neural network that encourages your nervous system to calm and cool down into a healing state.

For me, the more thoughtwork I did, my brain fog started to lift, more energy emerged, I slept better, had less stressful thoughts, and overall felt a calmness in my mind and body as old thinking cleared away and new beliefs installed.

What you focus on trains your brain to be on the lookout.

The brain LOVES patterns, making associations, and actively seeks them out.

The great news is that you can choose what you think and believe. Humans have the amazing capability to use their brains to their best advantage. It’s just that no one taught us how.

Dr. Lissa Rankin, author of Mind Over Medicine, believes strongly that belief plays a role in patient prognosis’. I certainly agree. My mental, emotional and physical wellbeing improved as I changed how I feel about myself, circumstances around me, and about chronic fatigue.

Neuroscientists have shown the possibility to reset your brain by creating new neural pathways. My Reset for Recovery program walks you through step-by-step how to rewire your brain so you can create a healing environment for your mind and body.

What can you do now?

First, stop focusing on your symptoms. Acknowledge and accept out loud what you’re thinking and feeling. Then make an intentional choice to view today differently by asking yourself and stating the answer:

What do I need today?

What can I do to support me today?

Make today a wonderful day for you.

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Get the inside scoop by checking out my video talking about 3 Lies Preventing Healing from Chronic Fatigue. CLICK HERE to gain access to the video.

*Please note that Reset for Recovery is not a replacement for medical treatment and is supplemental to your treatment plan. Always discuss health changes and concerns with your physician to ensure additional medical treatments or testing are appropriate for you.

There are many ways to become fatigued chronically. Your body became overwhelmed by a virus, bacteria or toxic mold overload.

There are no clear answers whether fatigue, infection or inflammation comes first or is part of the full package.

The problem is that your body also becomes vulnerable to infections, inflammation, and fatigue with chronic stress, negative self-talk, and emotional trauma (lost job, divorce, death of a loved one, working 24/7, etc.) and processed foods in your life.

General fatigue is your body’s way of telling you it needs rest. A lot of the time I bet you ignore that signal because there is so much to get done. I understand because I used to do this, too.

You’re on proper medical treatment to eliminate or greatly reduce the load of viruses and bacteria in your body. But, you’re still so tired.

I want you to know that there is a formula for recovering from chronic fatigue. The formula includes medication, supplements, diet, relaxation with mindfulness and meditation, and gentle exercise like yoga. All of these things are so important. Yet, there remains a missing ingredient in your treatment plan that may hold the key to you recovering.

That missing ingredient is addressing the needs of your brain. You’re not getting better because of your thinking. What you think about having chronic fatigue plays a major role in the recovery process.

There’s more to the thinking thing. How you think and feel about all areas of your life affect your inner state. Thinking that creates a lot of emotions like anxiety, worry, overwhelm, and frustration or a drive to push through the fatigue keeps your body in chronic stressed and overworking state that interrupts the healing process.

How you think and feel about yourself and others also play a role in recovering. Do you tend to help others even when you really want to say no? Are you seeking perfection or driving hard to get that promotion? Do you bend over backward to make everyone happy?

What you think about what’s happening around and inside you create emotions that drive your body to be in a healing state or a chronically stressed state that results in your getting well or not.

The brain and body work in partnership. Relying on only medication, supplements, herbals, meditation, and yoga cover only part of the solution. To recover or significantly reduce your chronic fatigue you need to reset your brain that causes your body to relax so necessary healing begins for recovery.

The secret to recovering is examining your current beliefs and habitual thinking patterns. Once you discover how your current thinking is affecting your inner world, you can update those beliefs and create new thinking patterns that support recovering from chronic fatigue.

I discovered this mindset framework by accident trying to figure out my purpose. My chronic fatigue led me to an amazing inside and outside life as I recovered. I want to share this amazing work to help you regain energy and feel alive again.

Now you know why you aren’t recovering from chronic fatigue.

What you think about your circumstances creates emotions that fuels action or no action that creates the results in your life and health.

I invite you to join me on this journey to learn how to reset your brain to allow your body to recover.

Follow me here on my blog, Instagram and Facebook where I’ll share tips and hacks to Reset for Recovery.