Overcoming chronic fatigue

By MiNDFOOD

Two friends texting in Paris, France.
Two friends texting in Paris, France.
One woman’s journey to heal what doctors told her was impossible.

For years, Fiona Cutts was controlled by her crippling anxiety and fear.

“I used to be so shy that I could scarcely say my name in public,” Cutts says. “My fear of public speaking was so intense that people would often say to me, ‘How are you going to make this work in the corporate world?’ I did make it work, through a mixture of avoidance and sheer determination, but eventually, the effort caused me to develop chronic fatigue syndrome.”

Numerous studies show that getting stuck in negative emotional patterns – anger, loneliness, sadness, stress and anxiety – can have a huge impact on physical health.

Despite being told that she couldn’t heal herself, Fiona pressed on, making space for negative emotions to be processed (not suppressed), trusting her own body and empowering herself with tools and strategies that support her to be more positive.

And it worked. After six years, Fiona went from having a chronic illness to a life of vibrantly good health.

Fiona now travels the world teaching people how to manage their own journey towards health. She shared a few of her top tips with us…

Tip 1: Shut down your inner critic

Many of us are conditioned to think we’re wrong. Parents suppress us. Society tells us how to act. So, we confirm that to ourselves, shut down and get sick. Choose to unlearn that conditioning of wrongness and allow yourself to feel right being you. “What has worked to create massive change for me is my commitment to no longer believing those old conditioned negative beliefs,” Fiona says. “Whether it’s an old internal dialogue of being too shy, too small, not good enough… stop believing the lies.”

Tip 2: Tune in with your body

Healing requires that you step out of the day to day survival mode and start moving towards something more inspiring, energising and positive. Connect and communicate with your body to know what is true and right for you. If it feels light, it’s right. If it feels heavy, it’s not.

Tip 3: Drop the victim style questions (‘why me?’) and ask questions that lead you to better health instead

Questions are powerful. What would life look like if you didn’t have the chronic illness? Who do you need to talk to feel more positive about your journey to health? What would it take to be that healthy? “By asking and answering these questions you will be signalling that the chronic fatigue does not work for you in your life,” Fiona says. The next step is to take action and move towards the healthier image of yourself.

Tip 4: Trust your intuition around what will work for you personally

Once you’ve chosen to experience the healthy version of yourself, you must actively trust yourself and follow your intuition. Professionals can provide guidance, but your body is your own. Helpful information may come in the form of inspired videos online. Or, you may get a call from a friend with advice that feels significant. Be open to exploring what feels intuitively right for you and always take action accordingly.

“Since healing my chronic fatigue, I continue to get more of health, vitality, confidence and more of me,” Fiona says. “I have experienced change beyond what most people think is possible after being told that chronic fatigue was incurable and I love to share that with other people who might be struggling as well. There is nothing I love to witness more than the positive change in others.”

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