Spoons | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Spoons

Metaphors For Energy

34
Spoons
Baby Krazed

Everyone knows the eating utensil that's best for soups, ice cream, and other delicious things. But did you know that a spoon is a common metaphor too? It's used to describe the amount of physical/emotional/mental energy one has during the course of a day. Now, it doesn't have to be spoons, specifically. It can be whatever you want it to be, whether that's chips, hats, or marbles. The idea of using a spoon was first imagined by a woman named Christine Miserandino in her article "The Spoon Theory". This concept has had a great impact in my personal life, and I would like to share the idea again with you all.

A normal person generally has unlimited spoons, or at least enough to not run out. When I say "normal", I mean healthy. A healthy person does not have any physical ailments or diseases that hinder your energy in any way. Someone with a chronic fatigue disorder will have fewer spoons as their healthy friends. Doing anything can use up spoons. Going to the store could take up, say, 20 spoons. Doing the dishes may take 5. It varies from person to person. But, once those spoons are all used up, you're done for the day.

A normal, healthy person might have a very busy day and feel tired at the end, but this is not the same as using up all your spoons. I'm not saying that healthy people can't use them all up, but it's much more unlikely than someone with an ailment. When you use up all your spoons, your body feels weak, your focus goes out the window, and it becomes very hard to function. You know it when you feel it. At this point, it's best to wrap up whatever you're doing and go home to rest until the next day.

Not every day starts off with the same amount of spoons either. Some days you're full of energy and can do a lot! Other days you may just feel tired and not able to do as much. It all depends, and there's nothing wrong with having fewer spoons some days. The best thing to do when someone you love is having a "Low Spoon Day", is to let them rest, and don't force them to do more than they believe they are able. It takes patience, but it's well worth it, because when they have a day of full spoons, they'll be able to do a lot more.

With all that being said, every person is different. Even healthy people can have Low Spoon Days, and unhealthy people can have High Spoon Days. This is not an excuse to get out of doing what needs to be done, though. The point of knowing how many spoons you have each day is so that you can budget them out and get everything done that needs to be done. If you know that you have fewer spoons that day, then you have to use what spoons you have to get your more important work done first. Once it's all done, you can then use whatever spoons you have left for fun.

The Spoon Theory: http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written...

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over
reference.com

To those who celebrate, you just spent an entire day cooking an elaborate meal with all of your favorite foods. You probably ate your body weight in pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. What happens now? Oh yea, Christmas. It’s time to take out all of the decorations and Christmas themed things that have been sitting in the attic since last year; it’s time to make a reappearance. So, here are 10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

2543
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1525
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200768
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21256
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments