You don't need me to tell you that having a chronic condition comes with feeling like you’re a burden or you aren’t achieving enough, or why it is that you feel that way. You probably experience feelings of guilt all the time as you watch other people go about their day wishing you could go about your day the same way.
But you shouldn’t!
Right now, in this moment, you can’t help that you have a chronic condition. So, it’s time to stop feeling guilty about it!
Define Yourself By What You Can Do—Not What You Can’t Do
Stop comparing what you can do to what everyone else can do. You’re always going to come up short. Instead of endlessly thinking about all the things you can’t do that you watch everyone else do, focus on the things you can do.
You may not be able to help a friend with their move, but you can order pizza and have it sent to their new house. You may not be able to go to parties in the evening, but you’re a great friend to grab a morning coffee with!
Try and find what you can do in the midst of all the cant’s and you’ll find that you’re more capable than you realize.
Find, Follow, and Read About Others With Chronic Conditions
It’s easy to feel like you’re weird or there’s something wrong with you when you have a chronic illness. You’ll feel less alone if you find others who are living with chronic conditions too.
That might mean revamping your social media accounts so your feeds are full of others who post about living with a chronic condition. It could mean reading books about living with a chronic illness. It could mean finding a local community of people who are dealing with a chronic condition and meeting in person or virtually to provide each other with support.
Not only will you see that there are plenty of other people out there living with the same challenges you are, you may also find help dealing with your chronic condition along the way.
Take Control of Your Health
Dealing with a chronic condition can be exhausting. It’s taking pills, watching what you eat, getting the right kind of exercise, and resting diligently. It can be easy to let it all slide.
You may not have a lot of control over your chronic condition, but you do have control over how you manage it. Use Tooktake labels so you don’t forget to take your medication, add one thing to your diet that will promote better health, and do those stretches that your doctor always recommends. By doing what you can, you’ll ultimately feel more empowered about your situation.
Some days are better than others, but that's true whether or not you have a chronic condition. Finding ways to feel less alone and controlling what you can will help you experience more joy and less guilt, regardless of your health condition.
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash