1 in 16 people in the US are affected by fibromyalgia, and 1 in 13 women specifically—that’s about 6.4% of the population. To put these statistics in perspective, breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women, cervical cancer affects 1 in 13 women, and colon cancer affects 1 in 25 women and 1 in 23 men. Despite the similarity in prevalence, fibromyalgia has a long way to go in terms of awareness and medical training when compared to these other conditions.

In our mission to improve this, a critical avenue for increasing awareness has been obtaining official proclamations for states to recognize May as Fibromyalgia Awareness Month and May 12th as Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. Governor’s Proclamations are powerful tools that help advocates validate the struggles faced by fibromyalgia patients and garner support from state officials. This can lead to increased funding for research and better resources for those of us living with fibromyalgia.

Today, Tami is joined by her best friend and fellow advocate, Melissa Swanson. A few years ago, Tami and Melissa decided to bring together their communities, along with several other fibromyalgia organizations, and coordinate the efforts to obtain a Governor's Proclamation in every state. Their goal is to "color the map purple" for fibromyalgia awareness, and Melissa is the coordinator for this effort.

In this conversation, Melissa and Tami discuss what a Governor's Proclamation is, how it helps to raise credibility and awareness, the steps involved in requesting a Governor's Proclamation, the criteria we make sure to cover in Proclamation requests, why May 12th was chosen as Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, working with various fibromyalgia organizations to obtain Proclamations, how Melissa helps individuals with the application process, their progress on the goal ot “color the map purple”, the benefits of coordinating with various groups in obtaining Proclamations, how you can help in your state, how collective efforts strengthen the push for fibromyalgia awareness, reasons for denial of Proclamation requests, the application timeline and how the process varies by state, Melissa’s preparations for the next round of applications, the ongoing need for help regardless of your state’s status, Tami’s experience requesting a Governor’s Proclamation in Oregon, statistics on fibromyalgia's prevalence among the U.S., why we need your help, upcoming events related to Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, and more.

Every voice matters in the fight for awareness and support for fibromyalgia. Let’s work together to make a difference.

Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on Facebook or Instagram.

Need a good book to read? Download Tami's books for free.

Ready to take back control of your life and health? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®.

When you receive a fibromyalgia diagnosis, it’s natural to wonder if things will ever get better. With the lack of fibro education in medical schools, many of us received our diagnosis alongside a statement that we “just have to learn to live with it”. With such a bleak prognosis, the road ahead becomes much more difficult than it needs to be.

The good news is, we can all feel better. A fulfilling life with fibromyalgia is possible, and recognizing that makes a significant difference. Far from the doom and gloom statements many of us have encountered, there's so much you can learn and do to improve your fibromyalgia symptoms. Even if you think you’ve tried it all, there’s always something else to try.

Today, Tami is joined by fibromyalgia educators and advocates, Dr. Ginevra Liptan and Sharon Waldrop. Dr. Ginevra and Sharon recently launched The Fibro Show on YouTube as part of their mission to spread awareness and empower people living with fibromyalgia. They’re sharing their fibro journeys and sharing resources you can access to improve your life with fibromyalgia.

In this conversation, Dr. Ginevra, Sharon, and Tami discuss Dr. Ginevra’s progress since her last time as a guest, her decision to create a YouTube show, Sharon's fibromyalgia journey and the challenges she faced at a young age, her decision to form the Fibromyalgia Association and how it has evolved, the difficulties she faced in finding adequate support after her diagnosis, the important recognition that a fulfilling life is possible despite her fibromyalgia diagnosis, Dr. Ginevra and Sharon’s mission for The Fibro Show, how the Fibromyalgia Association expanded into a national community with international reach, the need for support groups to focus on education and actionable solutions, plans for the upcoming Fibromyalgia Awareness Day Conference, what you can expect to experience at the virtual conference, actionable strategies for self-care, why sponsors are critical, the advantages of virtual events for accessibility and comfort for people with fibro, what it’s been like creating a YouTube show for fibromyalgia education, upcoming interviews and the format of the new YouTube show, why collaboration is crucial to enhance awareness and support in the fibromyalgia community, funding issues for fibromyalgia initiatives and the need for financial support, educating healthcare providers about fibromyalgia, Tami’s experience speaking to medical students about pain and fibromyalgia awareness, the lack of fibro education in the medical school curriculum, Dr. Ginevra’s plans for the next stage of her career, making space for new experiences and personal growth, Sharon’s upcoming plans and her focus on menopause coaching, the overlap between menopause and fibromyalgia symptoms in women, upcoming Fibromyalgia Awareness Day events in the US and Europe, and more.

If you have ever felt alone in your fibromyalgia or frustrated at the lack of awareness and resources, this episode is for you.

Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on Facebook or Instagram.

Need a good book to read? Download Tami's books for free.

Ready to take back control of your life and health? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®.

“Waiting until you feel better to start working on your health is like waiting until you're in shape to start exercising.”

Have you ever wanted your life or your health to change, but at the same time, you weren't ready to change? Whether it feels like it’s going to be too hard, that you need to prepare more first, or you’re just not ready to give up something you enjoy, oftentimes our brain tries to protect us by putting up this resistance.

Tami has been there - and she’s still there in some areas of her life! In today’s episode, Tami is sharing her struggles with making necessary changes in her life and her strategies for creating a fibro life you love. She’s talking about struggling with the desire to change while feeling resistance, the pivotal moment when Tami realized that waiting to feel better actually holds back your health, the flawed logic behind feeling "not that sick" or "too sick" to start making changes, starting with small steps and being willing to make mistakes, the necessity of actively engaging in health improvement, how our natural resistance to change protects us, understanding your Fibromyalgia Wellness Style℠, the conflict between wanting change and the reluctance to put in the necessary work, the stages of change model, moving through the stages of pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, and action, creating sustainable changes that you can maintain over time, the potential for relapse and common triggers, why we prefer to coach our clients for a full calendar year, Tami’s experience with relapse and lessons learned, the difference between taking action and maintaining changes, aiming for continuous improvements in your health and well-being, starting before you’re ready, immediate actions you can take, strategies for starting when you don’t feel ready, recognizing feelings and habits before making changes, recognizing that building new habits takes practice and patience, how a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® can help, and more.

You can't wait until you're well before you start to work on your health. You just have to start.

Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on Facebook or Instagram.

Need a good book to read? Download Tami's books for free.

Ready to take back control of your life and health? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®.