Second-guessing a thread title

I've been having second thoughts for some time about the title of my thread in the personal challenges forum (https://permies.com/t/249742#2322364). I don't have a disability or chronic ailment, and I would never want to minimize or negatively normalize the daily challenges of folks who do. I think I might have been too hasty in appropriating the spoons concept. I would be open to changing the title of the thread if that would be appropriate. What do you (staff and community members) think?

I would leave it alone.  It seems to be standing pretty well as is.

As someone who might, almost, sorta kinda have a disability (I've been wearing reading glasses for years) I was not offended by your title.  If it would make you "feel" better, then by all means, do an edit and change the title.

Peace

My take: I think it's fine as is. It describes the content well, and I can't see it doing any harm.

You can always change a title if you arent comfortable with it, but I like it.

The idea of the spoon theory is everyone has a certain number of spoons in a day, some have fewer spoons than others. And some tasks may take more spoons for you than they do for someone else.

Perhaps you arent disabled. Perhaps you have more spoons than some people. Or perhaps you have fewer spoons than some people who are "disabled" but not in an energy-limiting way. Or perhaps you just have an occasional low spoon day or week... Just because you may have "more spoons" does not mean your spoons arent limited, too.

So yes, EVERYONE can use spoon theory. And in some ways, it only works as an analogy if we apply it to more than just disabled people. If we were to start labelling anyone using spoon theory as disabled - then i would be very offended. Or saying everyone who is disabled needs to describe their life in this one weird analogy. That would be silly.

I say this as a disabled woman with an energy limiting disabilify.  I used spoon theory long before i became disabled. If i suddenly became well, i'd still use it!

Personally, i find it helpful for more people to be exposed to the concept that energy is finite, and varies day by day, and talk about it! More discussing and thinking, less gatekeeping.

I appreciate all your thoughtful feedback! So far it sounds like there's no need to make a change.

In general, I too think the more open and matter of fact we are about things like this the more helpful it is.

Sara Hartwin wrote:In general, I too think the more open and matter of fact we are about things like this the more helpful it is.

Amen. I think if more people used the spoons concept in general, they might be more aware of the challenges everybody faces (including non-visible disabilities, visible disabilities, emotional/mental issues, etc etc etc). It helps everybody!

I think spoon theory is very flexible.

I have a goofed up back that's frequently in a state that limits the amount of certain kinds of work (bent-over lifting) I can do. I think and talk about that in terms of "back-spoons". I also experience an anxiety disorder that limits the amount of shopping, going to parties, hanging out in crowds, and placing phone calls that I can handle each day. I think and talk about that as just "spoons". And I don't (think I) experience chronic pain (though I just yesterday discovered my daughter thinks I do), which I think is the origin of spoon-theory.

My wife and daughter have their own issues that we also quantify with spoons when discussing what we can accomplish.

But the 'spoons' thing works powerfully for us when discussing what we're up for and why we're shepherding our spoons for something later and all kinds of stuff.