I’ve lived with chronic pain and fatigue all my life but I’ve managed relatively well to fit my life around it.
I was born with Elhers Danlos, a connective tissue disorder and in 2020 during lockdown, I was also diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder, where the signals to the brain are faulty, resulting in what my partner calls “the wonky robot” 😁
But over the last year or so, my health has felt like it’s been on a downward trend and recently, a familiar nagging feeling told me to listen to what my body was saying.
The last time I felt this, I ignored it, continued to push myself and ended with my FND diagnosis.
So, last week I made the decision to cut my hours in my day job to less than half.
Less than half to the average person probably means a couple days a week. But do you know what less than half is for me?
Three hours. Three hours once a week. Even I’m like “Wow, is that all you can manage?”
Sadly so. But my day job also includes compulsory overtime at key seasonal times throughout the year so there’s an opportunity to keep some extra pennies coming in.
And just as there was a silver lining to my FND diagnosis when I got to be a full time artist for the first time ever, it also means I get to do more art!
I acknowledge that those on my current commission list are having to wait longer than anticipated, but with my reduction in hours coming in to effect next week, I’m hopeful that what would have been recovery days from work will now be much easier days spent in the studio. I am grateful for the patience.
Over the years I’ve reduced the amount of commissions I’ve taken on, but now with more time, I’ll be opening up my books again for more portraits and heart decorations.
Watch this space!