First, I would like to apologize for the lack of posts. Life has been extremely busy balancing work, grad school, and battling Crohn’s disease. This time last year, after enduring many grueling tests, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. I have learned so much over the past year, and while the disease has been a major setback, I have not allowed this condition to control my life.

I recently came across an article that deeply resonated with me. It was written by a young woman who is also battling  a chronic illness. She explained the repeat offenders of misconceptions and insensitivity of societal belief surrounding chronic illnesses. Just because we do not look sick, does not mean we are feeling well. The concept of looking sick is very deceptive. Appearance is what first meets the eye, however, appearance cannot detect internal complications. We’ve all heard of the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” and that statement correlates with chronic illnesses. There are people we see everyday, whether it be acquaintances or family, and we do not truly know what internal complications they are battling. Family members and friends have made daily observations regarding my appearance, and while I know they are trying to be complimentary in their approach, it does not help mend the reality of my condition. “Well, you don’t look sick,” does not mask the condition, nor will it alleviate struggling insecurities.

There are days where I feel weak, fatigued, and self-conscious. There are also days where I feel great, and I’ll think to myself, “could this be?!” No matter how I am feeling, I try to encourage myself to make the best of each day. Positivity is one of the most powerful emotions to overcome any challenging obstacle. You may think positivity is hard to obtain, especially after a traumatic encounter; but remaining positive during adversity has motivated me to live my life despite having a chronic illness. Reminding myself to remain positive and humble has brought peace into life, and a sense of hope – that maybe having this disease will allow me to help encourage and inspire others coping with chronic illnesses.

One thought I had to diminish from my mind is the inevitable comparison of those living a normal or healthy lifestyle. I would often compare myself to others thinking, “I wish I could have the ability to eat whatever I want, like so-and-so,” or “I wish I could do this-or-that,” but comparing myself to others would not lead me to a happier life. Let’s be real, not one single person in this entire world is living a normal life. Everyone has their issues, insecurities, and challenges. The real challenge here is to abolish the illusions in our minds that allow us to believe there is a normal lifestyle, because a normal lifestyle is simply unattainable. What is attainable, however,  is a happy lifestyle. Incorporating a happy lifestyle is not a walk in the park, it’s a work in progress. But I can guarantee that incorporating positivity in your thoughts and actions will lead you to a happier life.

So, the moral of this post is to try incorporating positive vibes into your life – whether it be simple acts of kindness, lending an ear to a friend in need, or making the pledge to live your life to the fullest. We are all battling something, so let’s conquer our battles and live happily.