Don’t say it first – how did we even get to May already?! It’s time for the May writing prompts in the blink of an eye. Is it an age thing, the lockdown, or do we all feel time speeding by just the same?
I haven’t even had a chance to crank out my April entry yet as it was an extremely busy month for me. Hopefully I’ll get to participate the May writing prompts (or sneakily enter in April’s, too…).
But I promise to keep these monthly linkups going because it’s just too much fun reading your entries, and also as a way to keep in touch with other spoonies around the world. Looking forward to reading your entry soon!
May 2021 Awareness Dates
All Month:
- ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Lou Gehrig) Awareness Month
- Arthritis Awareness Month
- Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
- Better Hearing and Speech Month
- Celiac Disease Awareness Month
- Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
- EDS & HSD (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome & Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder) Awareness Month #RaisingAwarenessTogether
- Fibromyalgia Awareness Month #ShineForFibro
- FMD (Fibromuscular Dysplasia) Awareness Month
- Foster Care Month
- Healthy Vision Month
- Hepatitis Awareness Month
- Hypertension / High Blood Pressure Education Month
- Lupus Awareness Month
- Melanoma / Skin Cancer Awareness Month #PracticeSafeSun
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- Osteoporosis Month
- Physical Fitness & Sports Month
- Stroke Awareness Month #StrokeMonth
- Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
Days & Weeks:
- World Hand Hygiene Day (05 May)
- Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (02 – 08 May)
- Mother’s Day (09 May)
- World Lupus Day (10 May)
- May 12th International Awareness Day (A day for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND) awareness; also the birth date of Florence Nightingale. Includes: Fibromyalgia, Gulf War Syndrome, ME/CFS & Multiple Chemical Sensitivity).
- Nurses Week (06 – 12 May)
- Food Allergy Awareness Week (09 – 15 May)
- Stuttering Awareness Week (NSAW) (09 – 15 May)
- Women’s Health Week (10 – 16 May)
- HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (18 May)
- World AiArthritis Day (20 May)
- #REDS4VEDS Day (Get your red on for Vascular EDS Awareness!) (21 May)
- Preeclampsia Awareness Day (22 May)
- World No Tobacco Day (31 May)
- Memorial Day (31 May)
*Note: This is not a comprehensive list. Let me know if I missed anything out and I’ll add it in!
What The May Writing Prompts are About & How to Participate
The linkups are a monthly get together for anyone with a chronic illness, mental disorder or disability. An opportunity to share, to listen, and to learn from one another through shared writing prompts. I also think it’s a great way to provide insight into life with chronic pain, from many different points of view.
All you have to do is write using at least three of the writing prompts listed below, and publish it on your blog, or to a free writing platform like Medium. Then click on the blue ‘Add Link’ button to add your blog post to this page. Voilà, you’re now part of the linkup party!
2021 May Writing Prompts
- Only one link submission per website.
- Do comment on at least two other blog posts in this linkup if you participate. Helping to spread the word on your social media is always appreciated, but not required.
- Linkups start on the first of every month. There will be five different writing prompts. It will close at the end of each month before midnight. All timings listed are in Singapore time (+8 GMT).
- Pick at least three of the writing prompts to write about. Five is best, of course! 😉 You can write about your latest experiences with chronic illness, or even turn it into an evergreen blog post.
- Insert a link to this post when you submit your blog entry for auto verification.
- Failure to follow these rules might get you blacklisted from future linkups. Let’s keep it fair for all 🙂
Get the May Writing Prompts!
- Pushing
Have you been pushing yourself too hard of late? Or perhaps you’re pushing past your comfort zone in a good way. Has someone been pushing you to your limits, or circumstances pushing you past your boundaries and not by choice? You could also be literally shoving at something, or pushing paper… - Stretching
Are you being stretched to your limits of late, be it because of chronic pain, inaccessibility, annoying people, a new pet, toddler or something else? You might be stretched thin with too much work, chores, appointments or things to knock out on your todo list. Or you might be stretching your budget, or even dough for a new, home-baked recipe! - Thanking
There’s always something to be thankful about, though it can be so very hard. For some inspiration, check out the #MyDailyThankYou hashtag on Twitter, started by the lovely @Not_Just_Tired, who lives with ME/CFS. You could be keeping a gratitude journal, thanking your lucky stars, showing gratitude to loved ones, or even to your own body for sustaining you thus far, despite everything.
Disciplining
Discipline is a crucial element for forming healthy habits; are you doing something to improve your quality of life and wellbeing of late? Or perhaps you are trying to be disciplined with studies, blogging, boundaries, a sleep routine, coffee, junk food intake, or just about anything else. You could also be disciplining naughty children or pets!
Preserving
Are you preserving your energy or spoons for something special or necessary this month, or maybe just pacing a little more to get through each day? You could be preserving pickles or making your own fermented foods. Or preserving something in gold…Hmm…
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Thanks so much for a great month of prompts, Sheryl! I can’t believe it’s almost June!
My next post. Also, May is Fibromyalgia Awareness and Fibromuscular Awareness. So much going on in MAY!
It’s crazy how they squeeze it all into some months, whilst others are just rather empty, no?! Yes fibro is included on the list under the ‘May 12th International Awareness Day’ 🙂 But I’ll add the month in too because important!
Sheryl – can I add Ehlers Danlos Syndromes & Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders Awareness month to your May list?! C x
Thanks for pointing that out, Claire, I’ve added it in! Also added #REDS4VEDS Day on May 21! 🙂 Hope to see you in the linkup if you ever feel up to it! x