Dealing With Temporary Ailments

I am currently fighting a cold, and during times like these I do not like myself very much. My nose is red, my energy is low, and I feel like I am moving in slow motion. As a child I recall enjoying being sick (or pretending to be so) because it meant being home from school and watching all of the television I wanted. Now I find it to be a great hindrance, because there is so much to do and when I am sick I cannot accomplish as much.

When I start to feel unwell, I usually unleash an assault on the infection consisting of medication, tea, and plenty of rest. This usually works, but sometimes the bug is too strong that I have to weather through it, while still attempting to shorten my illness. Even though I feel mostly useless during this time of recuperation, I keep myself occupied when I can focus on anything in particular, telling myself that I will get through the haze to become more productive again. Sometimes I feel like I will be sick with a cold or flu forever; then I kick myself for being so self-centered, when I know there are people who suffer from much worse ailments.

Being sick temporarily is perhaps my body’s way of telling my mind to rest and slow down, even when I really don’t want to. When it happens, I try to remember that and hope that I do what it takes to get better as soon as possible. I find that keeping a positive outlook also helps; when I can do that I find my sickness to be much shorter.

How do you handle colds, flus, and other temporary ailments?