-Ways to break free from and cope with the constraints of chronic illness, in order to live your best life-
Are we ever considered to be free from chronic illness?
The word ‘chronic’ can mean; persistent, long-lasting, long-term, difficult to eradicate or ceaseless. The name alone tells someone that they can never break free or heal. This creates a ripple effect in a person’s psyche which leads to fear, worry, despair, loneliness and more.
Others may disagree with this but the simple fact that words are energy and power is true. Words can impact a society positively or negatively, heal, hurt, humiliate, hinder or humble us.
Why do you think music and lyrics are so powerful and is often used as a form of therapy? While society can’t stop us or anyone from becoming chronically ill at this present time, what we can do is start taking steps to break free from outside stimuli.
There is no doubt that chronic illness or any life-altering situation in life, leaves an imprint on our mind, body and soul. That doesn’t mean we need to give this imprint power. The phrase, ‘mind over matter’ and the notion that the mind is a powerful tool, have been talked about for thousands of years.
I’m not saying that if we wake up one day and think happy thoughts that we will be miraculously cured and healed- though it’s known to have happened.
Yes- medications, supplements, other treatments are absolutely needed to varying degrees. What doesn’t help us though is negative thought forms and patterns. If you say and feel that you won’t get better, than you won’t. What we speak and think has the ability to manifest into reality more than people realize.
After living with rheumatoid arthritis for over a decade, these are a few realizations I’ve had that keep us stuck and bound.
Negativity
Lately I have witnessed a lot of hate circulating around in the chronic illness community. This is so confusing to me. While we all have unique stories and are on different paths, aren’t we ultimately on the same journey striving for the same end goal? Instead of empowering, inspiring, motivating, accepting, and most of all respecting one another, I see people breaking each other down often on social media. For what?
While everyone has a right to their own opinions, that doesn’t make it ok to bring someone else down because you don’t agree with theirs. If you don’t like something you read, see or hear, simply keep scrolling. Don’t waste time or energy that can be put towards healing yourself and getting your life in order, to write statements that fuel hate. Yet, these people still follow you on social media waiting for another opportunity to bring you or someone else down.
I recently experienced this myself when some random person online that I didn’t even know said, “I wasn’t keeping it real. I was spewing bullshit positivity. I was fake. I didn’t know anything. If I wanted to live in a world full of butterflies and rainbows, I can.” This was all because she didn’t agree with something I wrote, so decided to make a comment that made no room for understanding or an open-discussion.
This person knew nothing about me or what I have gone through in my life, yet wanted to assume everything by something I wrote. Ironically, she had the same health condition as me.
So if you find yourself around a negative environment or negative people, choose your battles wisely. Not everything is worth depleting your energy which in turn causes more stress and worsening of your symptoms. Once you learn to not feed into what people say or do, or let other’s issues consume you, you’ll find you fair better.
If you find that you are being negative towards others, ask yourself why you are acting this way. Take time to reflect for a minute before you react.
Not releasing any negative self-talk and self-sabotaging behaviors
Living with a chronic illness can make you feel down right shitty. From the physical changes you start to see because of the disease, to not being able to do certain things you once loved as easily or at all, can have you start thinking that you will never get better. This can lead to self-sabotaging behavior and escapist tendencies, which only make matters worse. We all have things we don’t like about ourselves but it’s a matter of putting yourself in check when the urge arises to succumb to being low vibrational. Instead start embodying more self-love towards yourself and that love will flow through you onto others.
Not being open-minded
Someone going through, what you’re going through may know something you don’t know. Don’t be closed off to learning about or trying new things when it comes to your health, and life in general. I know it can be exhausting having everyone try to throw their opinions down your throat of what you should or shouldn’t do- trust me, I’ve been there. It doesn’t hurt to listen though because one thing can lead you to your next breakthrough or an answer you’ve been searching for, bringing more clarity to your situation. What are certain things you are afraid to try? Saying “Yes” more can open different doors and opportunities.
Not throwing away things that make you feel bad and keeping the ones that uplift you
I recently went did a spring cleaning in the summer. Having a total knee replacement two years ago really did a number on me.
For a while I held on to certain items after my surgery, out of fear of needing them again. Some of these included my; knee brace, cushions from the continuous passive motion machine I had to use, my walker and cane that I rented from my local park district, and a shower chair because I couldn’t stand to even bathe myself.
I’m not saying that these items are bad to have or anything against assistive devices because I use plenty, but for having these around my home just kept bringing me back to a moment in my life that I wanted to let go of. Surgery is traumatic enough and holding on to items that make you feel bad, need to go. Keeping things you don’t need can create energetic clutter. Ever feel more uplifted after giving away old clothes, shoes or other things? You feel more focused and organized after.
I realized that if I ever did need these again in the future, that I would worry about that when I got there. In this present moment though, this is all part of my past and I decided I wanted to keep it there.
The things I kept that uplifted me was a cane which a family member purchased that I decked out myself, cards from family and friends, pictures and other memorable things that made me feel happy then and are now a simple reminder of how far I have come.
Some may say what’s the point of throwing these things away if you still have the scar to remind you of it every single day? The fact is we all have or will get scars that are either visible or invisible, and not all are from illness. It’s inevitable.
No one is scar-less. In fact, scars are beautiful. They give us character and new-found perspective on life.
Not focusing on the things you can control
Trying to control everything just makes it harder to break free. Surrendering and acceptance is key to freedom.
Your priorities, what you think about, what you talk about, your happiness, who you hang out with, what you believe, are just some of the things you can control.
Love, Joy, Peace, Happiness, Abundance, and above all else, Good Health to all of you.
xoxo,
Effie
