"Life is too short. I can't control everything in my life. Trying to is exhausting!!" - member of MyLupusTeam

When first faced with a lupus diagnosis, a common fear is a lack of control over our health. How could our bodies betray us? How do we grab the reins back and fix the situation? Living with lupus forces us to recognize what we can and cannot control.

Members on MyLupusTeam have various strategies for letting go of control and fear, including:

1) using guided imagery to visualize letting go
2) opening up and trusting others
3) organizing or cleaning the house
4) reaching out for support from other members on MyLupusTeam

Here are recent conversations from members on MyLupusTeam:

• "The freedom that comes to us when we can choose to let go of the things in our lives that have caused lifelong pain is indescribable. When I decided to let all that go and live my life my way, it was like a ton of bricks fell off my shoulders. To forgive when it isn’t deserved takes a lot of strength, but the reward for our own mental health is priceless."
• "I'll let go of the happy ending narrative because there are and have been so many happy moments in my life already. There was a time when I practiced gratefulness daily. I will start that again."
• "None of us are like our old selves. I look at it as a chance to become stronger and better in new ways. I find a stronger faith, I have more empathy, I have let go of my old self, I take care of myself more."

Have you had moments of letting go just when you needed it most? What helps you 'let go' of things out of your control? Share in the comments below or directly on MyLupusTeam.com.