Ponder with Pamela

Tag: daily wins

  • Tai Chi and Remote Work: Finding Balance in Rainy Weather

    Tai Chi and Remote Work: Finding Balance in Rainy Weather

    June 14, 2025

    Sometimes a good day doesn’t mean everything goes perfectly; it just means you show up anyway.

    Today was one of those rainy days that seems to settle into your bones, and my knees definitely felt it. That familiar ache that reminds you your body has its own weather system. But I still rolled through my morning routine, and when it came time for exercise, I chose Tai Chi instead of my usual workout.

    There’s something about Tai Chi on days when your joints are protesting. Those slow, flowing movements that work with your body instead of demanding things from it. It felt like exactly what I needed.

    I managed a full day of work for RWS, and even had an afternoon meeting. It’s such a gift to work for a company that actually gets remote work. They provide so much helpful information and support for their remote employees. Not everyone understands that working from home doesn’t mean working in isolation, especially when you’re managing health stuff alongside everything else.

    Days like today remind me that “good” doesn’t have to mean pain-free or perfect. Sometimes it just means adapting, showing up, and appreciating the support systems that make it all possible.

    The rain is still coming down, but I’m calling today a win. 💜

    The dogs are snoring. I’m signing off. See you tomorrow. 💜

  • Finding Your Ideal Morning Routine

    Finding Your Ideal Morning Routine

    June 12, 2025

    Another morning routine, another chance to see if yesterday’s approach would hold up. Turns out, it did.

    I had the opportunity to tackle some more RWS tasks today, and I stuck with the same broken-up schedule I tried yesterday. Weaving work time with movement and little household moments. Two days in a row now, and it’s feeling less like an experiment and more like something that might actually stick.

    There’s something really satisfying about finding a rhythm that feels both productive and sustainable. Not that frantic, overwhelming kind of productive where you’re racing against your own energy levels, but the kind where you’re working with your body instead of against it.

    I’m starting to trust this pattern. Morning routine, work, movement, household task, back to work, repeat. It’s like my day has a gentle pulse to it instead of that all-or-nothing approach I used to default to.

    It’s only been two days, but I’m cautiously optimistic. Sometimes the best changes are the ones that don’t feel like huge overhauls – they just feel like finally listening to what was already working.

    Here’s hoping this rhythm keeps carrying me forward. 💜

    The dogs are snoring. I’m signing off. See you tomorrow. 💜

  • How Working from Home Enhances Mental Health

    How Working from Home Enhances Mental Health

    June 10, 2025

    Today was a good day, boring, but good. And honestly? I’m learning to really appreciate boring good days when you’re managing chronic illness. Boring means no crisis, no flares, no unexpected challenges. Boring can be beautiful.

    Morning Routine Success

    I enjoyed my morning routine, which continues to set such a positive foundation for everything that follows. The consistency is becoming automatic now, and I can feel how much my body and mind have come to depend on this gentle, nurturing start to each day.

    There’s something deeply satisfying about having a routine that actually serves you rather than feeling like another obligation to check off a list.

    Professional Development Progress

    I spent most of the day continuing my onboarding at RWS, which consisted of watching training videos, reading policies, and taking tests on all the information they’ve provided. It’s methodical work, but I’m making steady progress.

    I still have one more section to complete tomorrow, and then I’ll be finished with the onboarding process and hopefully getting to actually start doing some real work. There’s anticipation building around transitioning from preparation to actual productivity.

    The Gift of Working from Home

    Today was a beautiful, sunny day, and I absolutely love that I can sit at my dining room table, look outside, and feel the fresh breeze coming through the windows while I work. This is such a dramatically better work environment than being stuck in a stuffy office or trapped on a production floor with no windows.

    The mental health benefits of working from home can’t be overstated, especially when you’re managing chronic conditions. Being able to control your environment, including the lighting, air flow, noise level, and seating arrangement, makes a difference in how your body feels throughout the day.

    Natural Light and Well-Being

    Having access to natural light and fresh air while working feels like a luxury, but it’s actually essential for my well-being. The sunshine streaming in helps with my ongoing battle against Seasonal Affective Disorder, and the breeze keeps the space from feeling stagnant.

    When you spend years working in windowless environments or offices where you can’t control the temperature or air quality, the simple pleasure of fresh air becomes something you never take for granted again.

    Appreciating the Mundane

    There’s something to be said for pleasantly uneventful days. No drama, no health crises, no major obstacles, just steady progress on necessary tasks while feeling physically comfortable and mentally calm.

    When you live with chronic illness, you learn that boring days are actually precious. They’re the days when your body cooperates, your energy is steady, and you can simply focus on moving forward without having to manage symptoms or navigate unexpected challenges.

    Building Sustainable Work Life

    This combination of working from home, having flexible scheduling, and being able to maintain my morning self-care routines feels like the foundation for a sustainable work life that actually supports my health rather than undermining it.

    Tomorrow I’ll finish the onboarding and hopefully start the actual work. But today’s “boring” progress feels like exactly what I need, which is steady, manageable, and peaceful.

    Here’s to more boring good days and the appreciation that comes from knowing how valuable they really are! 💜

    Sometimes the most beautiful days are the unremarkable ones where everything just works quietly and smoothly in the background.

    The dogs are snoring. I’m signing off. See you tomorrow. 💜

  • Managing ADHD and Chronic Illness: My Journey to Better Mornings

    Managing ADHD and Chronic Illness: My Journey to Better Mornings

    June 9, 2025

    Today was another genuinely good day, despite the rainy weather that usually brings challenges. But here’s the amazing thing: I’ve started noticing that when I wake up, I’m not nearly as stiff and sore as I used to be. I honestly can’t even begin to tell you what a relief that is!

    The Gift of Better Mornings

    Starting your day feeling miserable makes everything that follows so much more difficult. When you wake up already fighting pain and stiffness, it’s like beginning each day from behind. But lately, I’m waking up feeling more like a normal human being, and it’s transforming everything.

    This change has to be connected to the consistent gentle exercise routine I’ve been maintaining. A week and a half of daily 10-minute sessions of Qi Gong, yoga, Tai Chi, and strength training, and my body is already responding with less morning stiffness. That’s incredible progress! I would never have thought that such a minor thing could make such a major improvement!

    Morning Routine Mastery

    I completed my full morning routine and got my Qi Gong session done, and even managed to meditate for 10 minutes afterward. For someone with ADHD, sitting still and concentrating solely on breathing is genuinely challenging because my mind wants to race off in a million different directions at once.

    But I’m learning that meditation doesn’t have to be perfect. Even when my thoughts are bouncing around, the attempt to focus and breathe mindfully seems to have value. It’s about practice, not perfection.

    Professional Progress

    I got all my email sorted and started my onboarding process at RWS! It feels so good to be moving forward professionally while also taking care of my health. The combination of feeling physically better and having new opportunities creates this upward momentum that’s been missing for so long.

    Having sustainable morning routines in place makes handling new work responsibilities feel much more manageable. I’m starting from a place of strength rather than trying to catch up from exhaustion.

    Productive Energy

    I even managed to complete three loads of laundry between everything else today. For anyone managing chronic illness, you know that’s not a small accomplishment. It’s running up and down stairs to wash, dry, fold, AND put away multiple loads while handling other responsibilities.

    I’m feeling genuinely productive today, and it’s the good kind of productivity. Energizing rather than depleting. When your body feels better, everything else becomes more possible.

    The ADHD and Chronic Illness Intersection

    Managing both ADHD and chronic illness creates unique challenges. The hyperactive mind that wants to do everything at once, combined with a body that has limited energy reserves, requires careful balance and realistic expectations.

    But I’m finding that gentle, consistent routines actually help both conditions. The physical movement supports my chronic illness management, while the structured routine helps my ADHD brain stay focused and organized.

    Hope for More Days Like This

    I’m feeling incredibly hopeful about having many more days like this one. The combination of reduced morning stiffness, successful meditation despite ADHD challenges, professional progress, and sustained energy throughout the day feels like a new normal I could actually maintain.

    The best part is knowing that these improvements are coming from sustainable changes. Gentle exercise, consistent routines, and realistic expectations, rather than pushing myself beyond my limits.

    Here’s to waking up feeling human and building on this momentum! 💜

    Sometimes the biggest victories are the ones that happen before you even get out of bed. Waking up without that familiar morning battle against your own body.

    The dogs are snoring. I’m signing off. See you tomorrow. 💜

  • Building Resilience: Exercise and Routine in Pain

    Building Resilience: Exercise and Routine in Pain

    June 5, 2025

    Rain and clouds brought some familiar pain along with them today, just as predicted. It’s remarkable how accurately my body can forecast weather changes – sometimes I feel like a human barometer when those pressure drops hit.

    Persistence Despite the Weather

    Even though I was definitely feeling the weather shift with increased pain and fatigue, I still got up and completed my daily routine and strength training this morning. That felt like a real victory, especially knowing how easy it would have been to skip it when my body was already protesting.

    Four days into this exercise routine and I’m learning that consistency matters even more on the difficult days. Maybe especially on the difficult days. The movement didn’t magically erase the weather-related symptoms, but it did provide some counterbalance to the stiffness and discomfort.

    Professional Development on a Pain Day

    The rest of my day was spent working on testing and qualifications for various job positions. Trying to focus and perform well on assessments when you’re dealing with increased pain and brain fog adds an extra layer of challenge to an already stressful process.

    But I pushed through and completed what I needed to do. Sometimes that’s what chronic illness management looks like. Showing up and doing what needs to be done even when your body isn’t cooperating fully.

    The Weather Reality Check

    This wasn’t a bad day, but it definitely wasn’t as good as the amazing few days I’ve had recently. The contrast is striking. Just yesterday, I was walking three blocks and feeling energized, and today the simple act of concentrating on work tasks felt more challenging.

    I definitely felt the change in weather with that familiar combination of minor pain increases and subtle fatigue. It’s a reminder that progress with chronic illness isn’t always linear, and external factors like weather will always be part of the equation.

    Building Resilience Through Routine

    What I’m proud of is that even on a weather-affected day, I maintained my new routines. The exercise happened. The work got done. I adapted to how I was feeling without abandoning my commitments to myself.

    This is exactly why building sustainable habits matters, because they carry you through the harder days when motivation alone wouldn’t be enough.

    Tomorrow’s Forecast

    The weather is supposed to continue being stormy through Monday, so I’m mentally preparing for some more challenging days. But I’m also feeling confident that I have tools now. The exercise routine, better planning, and realistic expectations. With these tools I will navigate weather-related flares more successfully.

    Here’s to maintaining momentum even when the skies are gray. 💜

    Progress isn’t measured only on the good days – sometimes it’s most evident in how you show up when conditions aren’t ideal.

    The dogs are snoring. I’m signing off. See you tomorrow. 💜

  • Today Was a Full Day, and I’m Proud of It

    Today Was a Full Day, and I’m Proud of It

    May 17, 2025

    Today was a pretty good day overall.

    It started with a grocery run with my husband. Now, I know that might not sound like a big deal to most people, but for someone living with chronic illness, it absolutely is. Crowds, noise, and the physical effort — it all adds up. My anxiety always spikes when I leave the house, especially when I know I’ll be around a lot of people. Thankfully, my husband has this calming presence that helps me push through. If I can just get out the door with him, the rest usually feels manageable… even if it still wears me out.

    After a quick lunch, I was back out the door — this time with my daughter. She’s dealing with an infected tooth, so we took a trip to the ER. Miraculously, we were in and out in less than 30 minutes. Then came the pharmacy stop to get her prescription filled.

    By the time we got home from that adventure, I was completely wiped. So I did what I’ve learned to do without guilt. I lay down and rested.

    When I got back up, I felt a little better. And I used that energy to do something important: I finished the last part of my final exam for RWS. Now all that’s left is waiting to find out if I passed.

    Every part of today, from grocery shopping, to being there for my daughter, to completing something big for myself reminded me that progress doesn’t always look flashy. Sometimes, it looks like showing up anyway, resting when needed, and finishing what you start. 🌿

    The dogs are snoring. I’m signing off. See you tomorrow. 💜