05/19/2026
Someone recently asked me how I stay “positive” while living with rheumatoid arthritis.
The truth is quite the paradox, because….I don’t magically avoid negative thoughts or even fight with them.
I’ve learned that automatic thoughts are out of my control, but crucially, I *can* control how I respond to those thoughts.
For example, I can simply acknowledge that they are thoughts and not facts, and let those thoughts float away like clouds.
Alternately, if they are really bothering me, I can recognize that they are often coming from my distorted “shoulder critic.”
Then, I can call upon my “shoulder coach” (aka “shoulder angel”) to provide an alternate perspective that’s more self-compassionate.
This is just one of the many tools that’s helped me cope with RA, anxiety, stress, and uncertainty over the years.
If you’d like to learn more, I have a full *free* webinar training where I delve deeper into the 3 most important ways I’ve found to reduce stress while living with RA, including tools for uncomfortable thoughts that *aren’t* distorted.
Comment “webinar” to get a link to the training, or go to the link in my bio!
