Living in the positive

Keeping negativity out of your life

Imagine you thinking life's good. You are highly educated, surrounded by a great group of friends and loving family, and have a promising career ahead. Then one morning you wake up and "POOF" – your health has taken a turn for the worst. The social life as you once knew it is no more, you are chronically ill on and off, therefore unable to hold on to your job. Though you have tried hard to get back on track, you end up against your will having to apply for Social benefits. You are now receiving not half, but three quarter less of your salary. Life has changed dramatically and with your fragile health, it does not look like there is much you can do about it. You are trying your hardest to stay in the game but find yourself lacking the energy to keep up. Imagine the frustration of having to adapt to a new lifestyle. How scary it is to have to discover yourself all over again. And the most challenging of all is having to explain an "invisible" though a very much present, chronic health condition to the public. I personally have learned the hard way that not all humans are sympathetic to people with physical limitations. Most of them usually think that you are exaggerating. The question now is; how does one remain positive in such situations as these?

Not all serious illnesses are visible.

 

Current statistics indicate that approximately 96% of all chronic health problems/illnesses are invisible. I suffer with a number of different chronic illnesses, and all of them are invisible. You simply cannot know just by looking at someone whether they're healthy or not.

Before I was diagnosed with psoriasis arthropathica (also known as Psoriatic arthritis), I was the kid that always had asthma, all kind of severe food allergies, seasonal allergies, pet allergies, dust allergies, etc. You name it I had it.

I had to learn to adjust to new lifestyle changes at a very young age. And just when I thought I had it all under control I was diagnosed a couple of years ago with a new chronic illness, psoriasis arthropathica.

Psoriasis arthropathica: Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic disease characterized by inflammation of the skin (psoriasis) and joints (arthritis). The arthritis frequently involve the knees, ankles, and joints in the feet. The inflamed joints become painful, swollen, hot, and red. Joint stiffness is common and is typically worse early in the morning.

Apparently I have had this illness since my teen years, but my doctor never caught on to it. His initial response was "I can't figure out what you have. You'll just have to learn to live with it."

Easier said than done, I thought. How in heavens name are you suppose to live with an illness if you don't know what you have? Again life threw me another curve ball. I started to lose faith. I didn't know what to do with myself. I have been dealing with chronic illnesses since birth and I was tired – literally. I had no energy left. I came to a point that I just wanted to lock myself up in my bedroom and stay there. But somehow I found the drive to keep on going and to my great surprise managed to stay in a positive frame of mind.

How to stay positive?

I'm not going to lie. Staying positive is a real challenge and sometimes exhausting. Especially when you are surrounded by people that don't even bother to try and understand the unexpected difficulties you have to face in life. How many times have I heard people say: "Oh. But you look so good, maybe you should try this –or do that. Or maybe you should try harder."

As if you just sit at home, twiddling your thumbs, doing nothing at all. That is like insulting a persons intelligence. Labelling them as "lazy"  "lacking drive" or "not trying hard enough", while all that individual does day in and day out is fight to survive – is not fair. 

 

The simple fact is that some people (not all) just don't get it. You are constantly explaining or defending your condition. And that itself is an exhausting job. Unable to get people to understand the "invisible" illness, you have to try and make a decision that is best for yourself.  Remove all that is negative from your life and focus more on yourself and your health.

 

You feel much lighter once all negative influences are removed. A new flower starts to blossom – it's the rebirth of you! The obstacles of life and its suffering (no matter who you are or what you are going through) is what shapes you. Learn to love yourself with all your heart, accept the person that you are (healthy or suffering with an  illness – visible or not), embrace all obstacle and curve balls life throws your way. Shed a positive light on the negative, be patient and don't give up! Though the thought of  having to start all over again might seem scary, the road to self discovery is worth the trip. 

 

 

 Quote of the day

 “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” 
 

― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Do you want to share your story or get involved to create awareness among your circle of influence check out this website: http://invisibleillnessweek.com/

Weight loss, a tough adventures journey.

With summer up in the air I keep hearing the same dilemma’s I hear every year; "O Gosh I need to lose weight. Arggg, I can't fit into my clothes. God help me get back in shape. I need to look good for the summer." Sound familiar? 

Lots of people seem to be waiting for the summer to get motivated back into shape. And there is nothing wrong with that. I mean whatever gets you up and moving, it's all good. 
But why does summer have to be the great trigger? Why not just be fit for life? Allow a healthy lifestyle to be an everyday thing? Is it because people are quick to associate weight loss with starving themselves and sore muscles? If that's the case I can imagine how that particular thought might throw many off. But it shouldn't! Yes you will feel sore in the beginning, I'm not going to lie. But then again the struggle is worth the benefits.

A huge part of losing weight is believing that you can do it and realizing that it is not going to happen overnight! Remember, Rome was not built in one day. Losing weight and adapting to a new healthy lifestyle can be quite challenging.

Important questions to ask yourself is why you want or need to lose weight? Is it for health reasons? Is it because you want to look good in a skinny jeans? Or perhaps you are simply not happy with yourself? Whatever the answer is make sure that you are doing it for the right reasons. Mainly for YOUSELF!

Also I believe that it is important not to be too harsh on yourself. Yes, you have to stay committed and dedicated, set goals and stick to them. But it is also important to remember that we are all humans and that we make mistakes. Starting is never easy. How to stay in the game, that is the real challenge!

The benefits of an healthy lifestyle.

Losing weight can improve your health in many ways. Just losing 10% of your current weight can make a difference in the way you feel on a daily basis. Weight loss also...

Increases your energy level;

Lowers your cholesterol levels;

Reduces your blood pressure;

Reduces aches and pains;

Improves mobility;

Improves your breathing;

Helps you sleep better;

You wake up more rested;

And most importantly of all, you feel much happier and comfortable in your own skin.

 

A workout should also be fun. Simply because people tend to go back to the things they like and enjoy the most. What keeps a workout fun for me is music. Quoting Bob Marley:

"One thing about music when it hits you, you feel no pain."

Though I have never experienced any weight problems, I have people in my immediate surroundings who do. Actually someone very dear to me had been diagnosed two years ago with breast cancer. Fortunately she got treated on time and the cancer was successfully removed. But she had a weight problem which she needed to get rid of fast. Determined and (quite understandable) shaken by the life threatening experience, she managed to turn her life around and got rid of the extra pounds.
How? Dedication, music (the perfect pain killer), a good sense of humor and most importantly ...patience!

 

 

Fitness isn't a luxury. It's a necessity. By thinking of exercise as just one of many important health habits, working out will become just as automatic as brushing your teeth, says exercise physiologist Amy Dixon. ~ (Source: Women's health magazine)

 

I could not agree more. Stay fit!