The Mindful Migraine

The other day I received a note from one of my blogging besties, Robert over at Things I Have Thought Of. The comment said something like “tag you’re it”. My first thought was, “oh yay! Like the game! How fun!” But then my second thought was “but wait… what comes next?… oh no… is this like a chain letter?”

When I was a kid in the late 70s / early 80s, chain letters were all the rage. I have a VERY strong memory of finding one scrunched up in the side pocket of my school backpack and bringing it home. The letter went something like this:

“Hi, my name is Eva, and I have cancer, and in 1977 I wrote this letter as a way to meet people and travel all the way around the world (14 countries and counting). To keep my good will wishes alive please copy this letter, word for word, five times, and then send it secretly to five friends… but chose your friends wisely, because if they don’t follow the instructions and “break the chain”, something terrible will happen to you… and if YOU break the chain, then something REALLY terrible will happen to your family and friends. Lots of love, Eva!! PS – don’t forget to send me a letter so I get the chance to make a new friend!”

I don’t remember how it came to be, but my father found out that I had a chain letter and FLIPPED OUT. He raged about bullying and blackmail. He pointed out how ridiculous it was that Eva was so nice one minute and so cruel the next. I remember him finding fault in individual details; how could this be the original letter, routinely copied out, but the number of countries magically updated itself? (All fair calls.)

In the end, I think he made me rip up the letter and throw it away so that no other child would be put under the pressure of threats and doom and gloom… I vaguely remember crying in fear… but also being relieved… who has time enough to write a letter out FIVE times?

Anyway – what Robert was sending me was NOT a chain letter of the ick-variety… his ‘tag’ really was just a fun blogging game, which involves answering six questions, then tagging a couple of friends to keep the game alive. It’s a baton pass in a slow-motion relay race and a nice reminder that bloggers are part of a network that spans all the way around the world (41 countries and counting (or more!)).

So here we go – now that I’ve vented – it’s time to play the game:

How did you come up with your blog name?

I started my blog in mid-January of 2024 as a place to keep all my links and learnings in one place. When I first started compiling my notes it didn’t even occur to me that I’d need a name… which is silly in hindsight… who creates a new life and leaves it nameless? I vaguely remember staring at the computer and thinking, well, I’m writing about migraines and mindfulness techniques… what about The Mindful Migraine Blog? It’s incredibly literal and to the point. A bit like me (except when I’m venting… or going off on a tangent… which I tend to do often… so perhaps nothing like me…)

If your blog was a person (fiction or real), who would it be?

UGH – gosh. So many things are racing through my head… I think, perhaps, that if my blog had a persona it would be a bit schizophrenic. The images that pop into my mind come from previous blog posts and include Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (my blog has hopeful-science and pain-monsters)… or an image of metamorphosis, recognizing that the blog is a work in progress, as am I (as are we all)… or the old monkey who gives life sassy side-eye because laughter is often the best medicine (and it’s free). But, if I had to settle on only one image of a “person” for my blog, then maybe it would come from an early AI art experiment I created – a person learning how to meditate – with a spare set of helping hands… because that’s what I think my blog is becoming: a migraine mentor that’s here to support you as you help yourself heal.

What helps you create new content if you feel like you need some inspiration?

I never seem to run out of ideas, only time and energy. Chronic pain means some days are a right-off (but not a write-off as I often come up with new content while I’m resting in bed). Inspiration is everywhere: read, eaves drop, tilt your head sideways and shut one eye to look at things in a new way, try divining your future from tea leaves or tarot cards, look for funny faces in the soap bubbles of your kitchen sink… No joke, I have draft notes for over a dozen blog posts just waiting to be uploaded… I often think if I was going to write a book it would be something like “101 (unusual) ways to be creative”…

Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with?

Sure! I gain so much inspiration from so many others who are just ahead of me on their chronic pain journey, or who are approaching it in a different way, overcoming their obstacles with incredible perseverance. The hardest thing is to ignore my imposter syndrome and imagine that there is anyone who is interested in collaborating with ME! But I’m getting more confident as I keep going and growing. The reality is that we ALL have something to share.

Is there anything more you wish you had or would like to learn as a blogger?

All I’m really lacking, as I noted above, is time and energy. I’m always learning, that’s why I’m here… that won’t stop. Perhaps readers would prefer something more polished from me, something more grammatically correct, with sentences that don’t start with “And” or “But”, and don’t have random capitalizations (because the font doesn’t show italics well) or an abundance of ellipses, brackets and dashes – (…) – BUT I’m often writing as I think, and hopefully the ideas resonate with others. There is plenty of formal and scientific material out there written by experts… I’m not all that… never will be. So, I’ll keep learning about how to live a more mindful life, but not so much about good grammar… sorry not sorry.

Do you have a specific style of blogging?

Oh! I think I’ve covered that above: authentic stream of consciousness material designed to motivate others into joining me on a self-help-healing-journey. Hopefully with dashings of sunshine and honesty and education and advocacy and respect and validation thrown in.

Next…

OK… so who to tag? I know you’re probably going to laugh – but I’m a people-pleaser by nature, and an anti-chain-letter venter, so I just couldn’t bring myself to tag random unsuspecting people… without checking with them first. Two people came to mind, and both agreed to be tagged, so:

+ Stella over at Stelly Reddy’s Story of Hope because she is a constant reminder to me that we can all rise above our difficult situations and keep smiling. On her blog you’ll find “reflections on topics like mental health, inspirational quotes, lifestyle changes, and uplifting resources that support my journey through life.”

+ Dr Nicole Bowes the entrepreneur behind Chocolate Serenity – “A blog for BIPOC women by a BIPOC woman to pursue peace and revel in authenticity” – she’s a super-power empowering others!

Be sure to give them both a visit and some blog-love when you get a moment: Blog-land needs us to READ as much as we WRITE to keep the positivity flowing!

Take care, Linda x