Being sick for a long time can teach you many things. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. But going through that dark phase in your life can cause you to pause, reflect, and rethink your priorities. Coping with illness can bring you gifts too, in the form of positive life lessons.
1.You can’t control everything. Things can go wrong in life, and you suddenly realize that you can’t always control the outcome. Controlling things can make you feel like you’re in charge and you’re steering the ship in the direction you want. When you lose that sense of control, it can be hard to be face reality. You may wonder why this happened to you of all people, and you may wonder if you’ll ever get back to who you were before.
But when you surrender to just allowing and accepting, you realize that you can enjoy life without needing to cross off a checklist. You also get a better appreciation of the things that are really important in life. You learn to have gratitude for the things that are already wonderful in your life.
2.You don’t need to be defined by your illness. When you have a chronic or long-term illness, you may find that your life starts to revolve around the disease. Living despite it can be a blessing in disguise.
It’s great to pour out your feelings into some form of expression, whether it’s art or music or dance. It can help you make something beautiful out of something that maybe isn’t. Sharing your experiences can make you feel like you’re giving back in some way. There’s more to life than your long-term illness.
3.Finding balance. In between treatments, diets planned to the tiniest detail, therapy, and recovery periods, it can be hard to find a sense of balance. When you start your journey, you feel like you have to make sure everything is just right. But everything you do every single day doesn’t have to be micromanaged. It’s OK if things aren’t perfect all the time.
What’s the biggest positive life lesson you've learned from being sick?