Meet Dale Rockell

We recently connected with Dale Rockell and have shared our conversation below.

Dale, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

What keeps my creativity alive is being creative for me and my wellbeing, creating images or music that resonate with me, that are true to who I am, and not being in a rush or working to a deadline, as my mind and body cannot do that at present due to a chronic health condition, which is explained in more detail below. Being observant is key, watching and listening to others, taking in my surroundings, and continuous learning help keep my creative spark alive.

I have always had more of a creative brain than academic, although I did ok at the latter. At school I enjoyed music, playing the recorder and progressing to the flute in the High School orchestra. I also enjoyed art and woodwork, as well as being fascinated by looking at old photographs, especially monochrome images of days gone by.

When I finished school at 16, creativity was not seen as a way of earning a living in my family, I had no idea what I wanted to do and ended up working in offices, unfulfilled from day one, and eventually settled in logistics and customer service management. I even pushed myself through a Diploma then a Masters Degree in Management Studies, PRINCE2 Project Management accreditation and a Diploma in Logistics, yet I always felt I was forcing myself to do these.

In September 2019 I was brought mentally and physically to a halt by a chronic illness, later diagnosed as Fibromyalgia. I got up one morning and couldn’t function. I couldn’t hold a conversation, read, walk a straight line, and was so fatigued and in so much pain all over my body that I could barely move. This had followed several years of struggling with symptoms and a Neurologist diagnosing Central Sensitivity Syndrome in 2018, something he deduced I was born with. I had to take sick leave from a challenging logistics management role, I never made it back, and I’m still unable to work.

All I could do was accept where I was, made easier by many years of spiritual practice including meditation and yoga, and start to work on hopefully improving, if not regaining my function. One thing I had to keep me going was to be the naturally creative person that I had suppressed for too long. With the demands of family and work my hobbies of photography and music were fitted in whenever time allowed but I couldn’t get the frequency to develop my output. Now I have nothing but time, family commitments aside, and my photography and music has been a lifeline to coping with Fibromyalgia.

Once I had regained my ability to go for a decent walk, albeit with a walking stick, I started to take my camera to the beautiful countryside within a 10-15 minute walk from home. I’m very fortunate that we have woodlands, the Grand Union Canal, a lake and other walks so close by. This also ticks a lot of the boxes for the self management of Fibromyalgia symptoms; exercise, mindfulness and distraction from the constant pain as I observe my surroundings, nature therapy, mental health benefits, pacing my physical activity, and of course inspiration to be creative.

With time to immerse myself in creativity I can try different approaches and I started to find my ‘style’, which can be seen in the images I have provided for this interview. Unfortunately Fibromyalgia affects my vision to varying degrees due to the extreme sensitivity in my spine, and I find it very difficult using screens for processing my images. The answer came from making sure I get as close as possible in camera to the image I want and finding the quickest methods, (pacing!), for final processing. I cannot rush to get images posted online and I accept that I may need to do several sittings to complete an image.

For a change of scenery, fresh inspiration, and when health challenges allow, I like to go for a photo walk in London at least a couple of times a year. It’s a 30 minute train ride from where I live, and stretches my photography skills with urban and street photography. I also joined the local photographic club for fresh creative inspiration through subject challenges as well as much needed social interaction with new friends sharing a common interest.

I’m grateful to have a second string to my creative bow in music. Sitting with my guitars and singing is fantastic therapy, and I feel an immense sense of improved wellbeing. After the impact of Fibromyalgia I started to write my own compositions and enjoy the creative process of a song taking shape. Unfortunately my Fibro challenges mean I can’t commit to performing at local open mic events at present, so I record video demos and share them on social media.

Being creative is the main driver that keeps me going, aids my ‘recovery’, and feels almost effortless. It gives me a focus, purpose and a better quality of life.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

My name is Dale Rockell, I’m based in the UK, and after the impact of chronic illness mentioned earlier I am now a photographer, singer/guitarist/songwriter, and Fibromyalgia advocate, blogging about my experience and creativity within a very proactive and supportive online Fibro community. It’s not uncommon for men to feel they cannot share and I have received considerable feedback within the community that men like, and feel benefit from what I share. While the large majority of diagnoses are women, the percentage of men now diagnosed is increasing.

Fibro is a condition that many in the medical profession struggle to understand and support, its tagline is ‘there is no known cure’, so as someone living with it I decided I would support research wherever I could. I am a Public Contributor (PC) to a research project being completed by the University of West England, known as CRIISP, (Consortium to Research into Individual, Interpersonal and Social influences in Pain), for a work group researching the societal influences and factors of living with chronic pain. The input of PC’s helps Researchers develop their understanding of living with chronic pain, and shape their qualitative and quantitative data collection.

I also assist a PhD student, when needed, who has chosen Fibromyalgia for her dissertation, and complete any other questionnaires or interviews where possible. It’s my way of trying to make a difference and show support for research into this debilitating, yet invisible disability.

Ultimately my aim is also to be able to generate earnings through my creativity at a pace I can accommodate within my new, lifelong limitations. I’m also thinking about how I might develop my writing and possibly give inspirational talks about creativity, life with a chronic illness, but also call upon my business background. Whatever life looks like going forward, this needs to be a slow and steady process to carefully manage my condition, using my connections to test the water at my pace.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

My answers to this will be completely different to the corporate me of a few years ago, through living with and learning about my condition and delving deeper into who I am.

Peace & Calm
I am naturally an introvert, while I like being around people it can be extremely tiring, I need calm and quiet to recharge. It’s probably why I took to meditation so easily. I understand and appreciate that with central sensitivity finding inner peace and calm, even in a busy environment, is essential.

Understanding Who You Really Are
It’s important to understand who you are, what makes you tick, drives you, nurtures you and how you can contribute to society, while living a life that feels appropriate for you. I spent too many years following a path that, while I was perfectly capable and achieved a lot, was me trying to please others, fit with societal expectations, yet not feeling fulfilled. Maybe this, on top of having central sensitivity, was a ticking time bomb for developing Fibromyalgia. I now have a clear sense of who I need to be going forward.

Acceptance
If we are to feel a sense of inner peace, acceptance of where we are in life at this moment is a good start. This doesn’t mean we have to be happy with our current situation, but accepting it gives us the ability to relax, gather our thoughts, and work out where we go from here, what we can change, and what we cannot.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

One of the biggest challenges I currently face, chronic illness impacting my function aside, is any imposter syndrome I might have about my creative efforts being worthwhile, calling myself a photographer or musician, and my work reaching a wider audience. I have made a commitment to myself to say ‘yes’ to more opportunities, such as this interview and another writing project I have been asked to contribute to, and to reach out to others to develop my ideas further such as portraits in the environments I currently photograph. It’s only by gently increasing my activity that I will be able to assess the physical and mental payback by Fibromyalgia.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

All Images by, and Copyright Dale Rockell Photography

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