Nicki, I love this! I totally feel that way. It would be a great way to explain things to people who have a hard time understanding how I can be doing acrobatics on Green Light days and hardly make lunch when it's a Red Light. It doesn't get into those finer points of how doing the exercise (however unusual my particular choice of exercise may be!) helps improve both my morale and energy (as long as I'm actually clear to participate, which can even be a yellow day if it's the only thing I do that day.) I find that I'm in similar athletic shape to before, just on and off with its availability (like I'm somehow frozen on red lights, I guess like that kids' game.) Obviously this wouldn't be the case if I beat myself down by doing too much when I can't handle it.
I really advocate for taking the rest you need, when you can, so that you can best enjoy the good days that rest brings you. Your doctor encourages for things to stay in your life... that doesn't mean you have to stay in them every day (and if you try, you'll probably just end up feeling like you're in quicksand.)
Another thing that's helped me keep things in perspective is accepting that in past times I had mostly red and yellow days, with rare green days I would cherish. Now, it's pretty much green and yellow most of the time, but when I take on too much or get exposed to some other trigger (or just randomly) I come to a stop for 2 or 3 days, or maybe a week of yellow instead. I would rather respect those down days and get back to green as efficiently as possible. This is certainly easier said than done for people with regular jobs (part or full time, if you've got an inflexible schedule and expectations, it will get really hard to take care of your variable health schedule!) I'm a grad student right now, so it's scary to have down days and get behind (studying is out of the question on a red day, since more than likely my brain is the main thing that's exhausted!) but I'm really thankful I have the flexibility to catch up when I can. I also work, but on shifts I choose and can easily call out from (but that means no money that week, scary for its own reasons.) Still, I know that getting in chronic yellow is riskier long-term for work, school, and my long-term well-being, so I usually put on the brakes and wait for green to go!
(Nicki, I am really going nuts with your metaphor... but it's so perfect!)
nicki said:
I have a system that seems to work for me..."green" days are days when you are pretty good, so do what you like or want to do just don't go overboard. "yellow" days are caution days, where you don't feel great but not terrible...try to do things at your pace if possible and don't take on a lot, rest some. "Red" days are oh *blank* no days...your worst days. Stay home, get rest, take meds etc. Hope this helps