Day after day I discover new areas that I have to modify or do less of. I’m learning to assess how my body feels and what it needs because just going with the flow doesn’t work anymore. Learning to know your body is a skill that we aren’t taught in schools, college, or business. “Get enough sleep, drink water, take care of yourself” doesn’t relay the importance of taking care of our bodies. The first time someone told me I hold my stress in my shoulders and jaw, I said, “Yes, I do” but I hadn’t consciously thought about it before they brought it to my attention. It is unfortunate that it took a chronic illness (several of them) for me to be mindful about my body’s needs. It’s as if the “way” we are taught to live is to do the bare minimum and find the maximum success. For someone with faulty collagen and chronic pain, that doesn’t work. Doing the bare minimum when it comes to self care isn’t an option.
With all that said: How on earth is someone with faulty collagen and chronic pain “unlimited?”
Unlimited (with exceptions) is about the ability to find peace and contentment within ourselves. It isn’t about saying we can do whatever we want with the right diligence; it is about finding validation in ourselves and our abilities. You, no matter how broken or tired, are enough. Your genuine uniqueness is beautiful because it is a part of who you are.
Accepting our genetics and not letting them destroy our joy and passion is important. It is something we must choose and find for ourselves; no one else has the ability to discover it for us. You should never be ashamed of yourself because of the cards you have been dealt.
A big part of finding contentment is realizing that we are unlimited with our ability to try. We have what some would call “defeating illnesses” that can dominate our way of life. What we still have is the option to try, every day, no matter how bad the pain gets. When we try, we give our souls something to fight for.
When we try and strive for contentment, it loosens us from the judgement and comparisons we inflict on ourselves and helps to remove the limitations we battle. It sets us free and gives us a reason to keep going.
We only fail when we don’t try.
