MAY IS HERE!

By Irene Roth/Blog Editor

Hi Friends!

May has a way of arriving with quiet contrast. The world seems to speed up—gardens waking, calendars filling, people moving outdoors again—yet for many of us, especially fibromates, this season invites something very different: a slower, more thoughtful return to ourselves.

There can be pressure this time of year to “feel better,” to match the energy of spring, to do more simply because the days are brighter. But living with fibromyalgia doesn’t follow the calendar. Some days may feel lighter, yes—but others still call for gentleness, stillness, and care. There is no failure in that. There is wisdom in it.

Instead of asking how much we can do this month, perhaps we can ask a different question: What supports me right now?

May can be a time to experiment with that question—not in big, overwhelming ways, but in small, manageable shifts. Maybe it’s noticing when your energy dips and choosing to pause instead of pushing through. Maybe it’s letting go of one expectation that no longer fits. Maybe it’s allowing yourself to enjoy something simple without feeling like you need to “earn” it first.

There is a kind of quiet recalibration that can happen when we stop measuring ourselves against what we think we should be doing. When we let go of that comparison, even briefly, we begin to notice what actually feels right in our own bodies.

This month, think of energy not as something you need to maximize, but as something you can work with. Some days it will be there; other days it won’t. Both are part of the same experience. The goal is not consistency—it’s responsiveness.

You might also find that May opens a small door back to things you enjoy. Not in a pressured, “get back to normal” way, but in a curious, open-ended way. What feels good today? What feels possible? What feels too much? These are valuable guides.

Even five or ten minutes of something calming—a short walk, a quiet cup of tea, a few lines in a journal—can begin to shift how the day feels. These moments don’t need to be productive to matter. In fact, their value often lies in the opposite.

As we move through May together, we’ll be exploring ways to protect energy, create breathing room in our days, and reconnect with what feels supportive rather than draining. Not perfectly. Not all at once. Just one step at a time.

You don’t have to keep up with the season.

You only need to move in a way that respects where you are right now.

And that, in itself, is a powerful kind of renewal.

Take good care, and please make sure to take the time to smell all the beautiful flowers.