
9: Don’t function your pain away! How to listen to your symptoms without giving up your power
My rheumatoid arthritis wants to be seen! So let’s give her some space, shall we...? In this episode, I share an honest account of living with rheumatoid arthritis alongside two horseback riding accidents and the pressure to keep functioning. I explore what it means to listen to symptoms without becoming defined by them, combining medical care with nervous system regulation, strength training, and a more compassionate relationship with my body. I also share why it is so important to stay connected with your Self and your personal power even though and especially if you feel powerless. In this episode: Why my rheumatoid arthritis wants to be seen and not injected away Why medication helped for a time but no longer seems to control the inflammation Medication as necessary support rather than the complete answer The balance between taking symptoms seriously and refusing to identify entirely as the disease My favorite holistic practices for supporting recovery “Syndromes” as complex patterns involving stress, trauma, hormones, the immune system, the brain, and nervous system Why you cannot and must not do it ALL when it comes to healing Thank you for listening to the show and for witnessing my process! My hope is that my words encourage and inspire you on your way of becoming stronger than before – always, at any time, and on every step in the process. I would love to hear from you and get to know you better. Please reach out via mail@verenaborell.com! It would mean the world to me if you share the episode with a friend, leave a comment, and subscribe to the show! Let’s connect: Website: https://www.verenaborell.com/en Email: mail@verenaborell.com Newsletter: https://www.verenaborell.com/en/newsletter Timestamps 00:00 - Why I am giving rheumatoid arthritis a voice 01:54 - The beginning of the mysterious left-knee pain 03:22 - Receiving a diagnosis after months of uncertainty 04:14 - Medication, stress, trauma, and the first major flare 05:13 - How rheumatoid arthritis pain feels in everyday life 07:52 - Learning that the disease wants to be seen and witnessed 08:48 - When a previously effective medication stops helping 10:52 - Why medication is support, not the whole healing process 11:52 - The lifelong pattern of functioning no matter what 14:47 - “You cannot work me away or inject me away” 15:47 - Autoimmunity as a metaphor for fighting against oneself 16:41 - Listening to symptoms without giving them total power 19:34 - Combining medical care with somatic and nervous system support 23:15 - Preserving pleasure, movement, and agency despite limitations 24:23 - Strength training and rebuilding a sense of power 25:25 - “I’m not my rheumatoid arthritis” 26:07 - Understanding syndromes as complex symptom patterns 27:41 - Why autoimmune symptoms cannot be reduced to one cause 29:58 - What happens when stress and overwhelm never fully settle 33:02 - Listening to the message while asking the symptom to ease 36:50 - Choosing pause, support, and a fuller way of living