Have you ever wondered why some people seem to be able to bounce back more quickly from personal challenges, illnesses, disappointments, tragedies, etc. better than others? On the surface it seems that some people are just born with extraordinary resilience. You know the people that seem to weather life's storms without skipping a beat! But when you look a little deeper, that's often not the case. It's something they've developed over time. They've
become masters of resilience. You see, resilience isn't a natural characteristic, it's a learned one.
Sometimes that life isn't what we expect and coming to terms with the new reality of life with chronic illness is difficult and can be traumatic. I know it took me many years before I found acceptance and could re-point my compass in a new direction. It was as much of an emotional as it was a physical healing process. And the healing journey is never fully completed. We must tend to our emotional and physical selves, so we can stay balanced as we strive to live happy and fulfilled lives.
Still it isn't easy.
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| Sailing life's stormy seas. |
Adversity. To be honest, I don't like that word very much. I've had my portion, thank you very much, and I don't want another helping. To me adversity often feels like an unwanted yet familiar companion. So much so that when it's absent, I feel like something is actually wrong! It's strange how we get used to living with challenges. We have to expect adversity in our lives. Especially if you have a chronic illness. But we can choose how we respond to it and can grow from it.
I've been a fan of Laurie's blog, A Chronic Dose, for several years. So I knew when I started this blog, she was going to be one of the first I would interview. She is a gifted writer and has a unique take on living with chronic illness. Her recent book,
Life Disrupted: Getting Real About Chronic Illness in Your Twenties and Thirties, has had a great impact on the lives of people diagnosed at a young age.
Sharing is caring and before four years ago I had no idea how valuable that little piece of information could be. Until then I was still an invulnerable 44 year old male with a strong career and seemingly everything under control.
Then it happened. In October of 2006 I found out how little control I truly had. What I did have was an unexpected diagnosis of prostate cancer.
