#WarriorWednesday: What if it's Me?

When we live with #chronicillness of any kind, we often encounter negativity from the outside world. Often times our families  dismiss our illness or fail to even educate themselves of our struggles.  Our friends who were once by our side during our days of #health have seemed to slip away while we spend countless hours in and out of doctors' offices, hospitals and institutions seeking answers or being subjected to myriad of tests, scans and the like. Even our own physicians tend to waiver from "hopeful" to "passive" as they run out of either attempted diagnoses or treatment options depending upon our cases.  Support groups can either be a blessing or a curse and come with rules or restraints that some find cumbersome.  Most have made beautiful friendships that have aided them in their journeys and have gained much knowledge otherwise unfound even in their own physician appointments.  

​The life of the #chronicallyill is for the strong, often times referred to as a #warrior, and one who has tenacity, perseverance and will power to endure such a tedious "race" - so to speak. There are many hurdles and obstacles to overcome. Frequently, fingers are pointed at negative comments, diagnoses, memes, articles and so on; however, what if one of the greatest mountains to conquer is actually staring us in the face each and every day? What if it's us? Are we disrespecting ourselves in our daily lives? Are we putting ourselves down and playing into the very thing we despise? Have we given in to the lies and the lines fed to us by our family, friends, groups, those who do not nor will they ever understand the life of a chronically ill warrior? Could we be our own worst enemy? Are we causing negative and toxic emotional wakes in our own minds, emotions and bodies every single day which are contributing to an on-going decrease in our own health? Have we become our own poison? In turn, are we poisoning those around us without even realizing "we" have become "them"?

A great way to discover this would be to go through your phone, private messages, emails, social media posts or ask someone extremely close to you who will be honest with kindess.  You will be able to see within your own writings and read your own tone with a visual presence to see if you have fallen into a habit of self deprecating behavior.  Living with any chronic illness is extremely stressful. Studies have shown that people living with chronic illness are prone to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.  This is not uncommon and there are ways to overcome it, if you are willing.  You are not alone.  No one can pour out of an empty cup and hurting people hurt people.  The most important thing is to heal yourself first to prevent you from perpetuating the creation of negative wakes or triggering hurt in the lives of those around you.  The process takes time, requires developing self awareness and most often the assistance of a professional therapist, counselor, psychologist and / or psychiatrist - yet it is most certainly achievable.  Believe me, I know.

In the theme of sharing education, information and affirmation within our blog posts, we thought we would shed some light on this topic of self love and living with chronic illness.  Life isn't always a bowl of cherries.  Not everyone is born with a "positive" gene. We aren't suggesting that everyone always remain superficially positive.  That isn't real nor is it helpful. Learning how to seek the good in life while embracing chronic illness does have health benefits overall as we have done some research for you.  We are including some links regarding the physical benefits and psychological effects of a positive mindset.  Balance is a must.  Self Love is a journey and well worth it. Therapy is extremely cathartic and aides in releasing toxic emotions built up due to many reasons either caused by ourselves, the outside world, illness etc.  A strong support system, be it in a group setting, personal 1-on-1's, online connections and so on, will strengthen you even further while you continue on your journey and lighten anyone's load. 

Our hope for all who battle chronic illness is that each person loves themselves first, so that they will be able to love the next person just as much, creating a ripple effect which will change the world.  May you find the strength to let go of anything toxic in your life, even if it is your own self talk and begin walking in your freedom today.  You are treasured, you are cherished and you are LOVED!

​Links:

Happiness and Health - Harvard Edu

​Positive Thoughts and Depression - LiveScience

Positivity and Health - John Hopkins
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