What You Don't See...

What do you see when you look at me? Regardless of what you do see, here's what you don't see:

I am a woman of a certain age...almost 52, actually. On the outside, people see one thing. But, I have been battling health issues for more than 16 years. My health issues render me unable to maintain a full-time job. I require naps throughout the day. I spend a lot of time going to doctors appointments. I've had multiple surgeries. And, I spend many hours trying to figure out how to balance my health without ingesting an ungodly list of prescription medications. The years that should have been my most productive years, financially, were spent in bed.

Now, don't get me wrong. During the years that I have been unable to work, I continuously use the little energy that I have to support my husband and children through their work and school projects. I've used my time to take classes and seminars (mostly from bed) that would allow me to better guide my growing children, and provide emotional support to military families across the country. In the midst of my most challenging years, whenever I was able, I've volunteered in a variety of settings. Through it all, people see a very confident, capable, and eager woman. While, on the inside, I still battle the anxiety and depression that had once threatened to takeover my life.

Everywhere in life, what you don't see is that people, all people, go through ups and downs. People, all people, are susceptible to the pressures of life. People get sick. People lose jobs. People's marriages fall apart. People lose loved ones. People have financial issues. People (temporarily) lose hope, and desire changes in their lives. And people, all people, have choices to make...with regards to how they are going to handle the pitfalls of their circumstances. For me, I chose to fight!

When my body was failing me, I chose to fight! When my doctors couldn't figure out how to help me, I chose to fight! When my career abruptly ended due to my illnesses and I was confined to bedrest, I had no choice but to rest. Then, with the return of the most minimal strength, I chose to fight!

Life is not going to always go the way we want. When that happens, we have choices to make. We can decide to give up. That is easy. We can decide to blame others. That is easy. Or, we can decide to fight! That is not easy. But, it is necessary!

Fighting is different for everyone. For me, fighting meant a visit to an alternative healthcare provider. It meant learning more about my symptoms and diagnoses so that I could work with my doctors to improve my health. Fighting meant mental health therapy. And fighting meant learning and putting to practice concepts and theories that were not taught to me as a child. I had to step outside of my comfort zone to learn from life coaching seminars conducted by people such as Oprah Winfrey, Tony Robbins, and Iyanla Vanzant. Through the years, I've read, studied, and built a library of self-help material. I became determined to FIGHT for my life!

While I am still learning to balance my health and life, I can say that each year I get better. I might not ever get back to where I was prior to becoming sick. But, I am stronger, today, than I was yesterday. Emotionally, I am much more balanced and much more wiser than I was 16 years ago. Becoming sick and disabled was a life-altering event....one which I would have never thought would have happened to me. But, it did. I cannot change that.

What I've learned, in hindsight, is that my illnesses don't define me. My illnesses might redefine the way I have to navigate my way through life. But, my illnesses don't stop my will to fight for MY LIFE! You see, I'm no different from anyone else. I'm just a woman who has decided that I will not stop fighting for ME. I deserve that!

In pictures, what you see is a woman who appears to have it together. But, what you don't see is that THIS WOMAN is no different from YOU! Inside of you is a strong person. Inside of you is a person who is able to fight through whatever tries to disable you! The same way I've repeatedly had to find my way, and rely on my faith and my inner strength, YOU CAN TOO!

When you look in the mirror, what you see is one thing. But, what you don't see is exactly the thing that is gonna get you through this journey we call life.....YOUR INNER STRENGTH!

**************************

Call (913)738-2251 for a FREE consultation with an Only You, Inc. life coach. Or, log onto http://www.1OnlyYou.com for more information.