A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz. She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.” Remember to put the glass down.
–Reddit.com
In case it's not obvious, this metaphor reminds us that we must maintain balance in our lives. You can't "put all your eggs in one basket", be it focusing purely on your career or your relationship–or your pelvic pain. You must attend to all facets of your life from your career and family to your friends and lifelong learning. Your pelvic pain is only part of one of those facets–your health, a facet that also includes your physical and mental fitness, not just one disease. So, don't forget to take a break from information-seeking and doctors appointments and the idea that vulvodynia is the only important thing in your life. It's not and shouldn't be unless you want to drive yourself crazy and have the only good thing in your life be the chance that you find relief from your pelvic pain. Remember to take a break. Work on your pelvic pain in a routine and regular fashion (including daily stretching if that's part of your treatment regimen), but don't make it the focus and priority of your life at the expense of everything else that is good, important and needs attention in your life. There is a lot of good in your life right now despite your pain. Focus on strengthening your strengths and what's good in your life as much as overcoming your weaknesses and the difficulties you confront.
–Reddit.com
In case it's not obvious, this metaphor reminds us that we must maintain balance in our lives. You can't "put all your eggs in one basket", be it focusing purely on your career or your relationship–or your pelvic pain. You must attend to all facets of your life from your career and family to your friends and lifelong learning. Your pelvic pain is only part of one of those facets–your health, a facet that also includes your physical and mental fitness, not just one disease. So, don't forget to take a break from information-seeking and doctors appointments and the idea that vulvodynia is the only important thing in your life. It's not and shouldn't be unless you want to drive yourself crazy and have the only good thing in your life be the chance that you find relief from your pelvic pain. Remember to take a break. Work on your pelvic pain in a routine and regular fashion (including daily stretching if that's part of your treatment regimen), but don't make it the focus and priority of your life at the expense of everything else that is good, important and needs attention in your life. There is a lot of good in your life right now despite your pain. Focus on strengthening your strengths and what's good in your life as much as overcoming your weaknesses and the difficulties you confront.