"But that's not the way it's supposed to be!" is a common thing we say when our expectations fall short. It happens to all of us. Some members of MyFibroTeam have found the practice of "allowing and letting be" in the midst of a trying to be a way to minimize anxiety or heaviness.

Mindfulness experts suggest a few ways that we can notice -- not push away -- how we feel during difficult moments. There are physical responses we can notice (heaviness in the shoulders, tightness in the chest), and we should also take note of our emotional responses to disappointment (blame, self-doubt, exasperation). These can be opportunities to realign our expectations and extend grace to ourselves.

Here are recent conversations from MyFibroTeam:

• "You should know that you didn't put this on you. Therefore, you should not feel guilty at all. Be strong. Be positive."
• "I wanted to take just a moment to thank everyone who is involved with this site. It’s been years since I last posted and out of nowhere someone checked on me. It just so happened I needed to be checked on, it was an answered prayer."
• "Felt pretty good today. Got some cleaning and laundry done, went to dinner with my whole family AND even went there on the motorcycle! I love to ride. Gotta appreciate the good days."

Share how you respond when things fall short of your expectations in the comments below or directly on MyFibroTeam.com.