One of my goals in writing this blog is to provide encouragement for others with Myasthenia Gravis or any other chronic condition. It’s also to encourage caregivers, family and friends who help us battle MG.
Encouragement is so important. It’s easy to get down when you have a chronic condition like MG. When you wake up in the morning and don’t even feel like getting out of bed, there has to be some motivation to do so. It’s up to the individual to allow themselves to become motivated and to take action, but motivation is always much easier when it’s inspired by encouragement from others.
If you find me frequently writing about being down, it’s because it’s such a big component of what anyone with MG faces. All people get down at certain times of their lives, but it seems to happen more frequently to people facing chronic conditions. That’s undoubtedly because the future is uncertain and, quite frankly, a bit scary.
It seems like we fought hard yesterday, but here we are again, waking up not even wanting to get out of bed. It’s kind of like fighting in a war. Each day brings a new battle. Some days will be tougher than others. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like there’s an end in sight. You’re holding your own today, but you worry that tomorrow’s battle could be the one that overwhelms you.
So, what can we do to combat that?
First, we thank God for all the blessings He’s given us and for all the blessings He has yet to give. We ask for His strength. We ask for His guidance. We ask for His mercy to help us through.
Second, we develop the mindset that the battle is worth fighting. Trust me, it is. You have people who love you. You have so much left inside of you to share with others. You’re battling for them.
Third, we pull from our inner strength. God put it there for a reason. We’re not yet defeated. We still have strength from which to pull. Pulling from that strength allows us to grow even stronger.
Fourth, we become inspired by the encouragement we receive from others. That could come from admiration, motivation, inspiration, compassion or love. Perhaps it’s a combination of all. With all that force behind us, we become encouraged to fight on.
We know that success comes from our ability to overcome the limitations our minds try to set for us. I’ve previously shared the example of a friend of mine who wanted to run marathons. She was unable to do so until she learned that her body was much more capable than her mind was allowing her to believe. When we wake up in the morning and don’t feel like getting out of bed, that’s our minds trying to trick us, to put limitations on us that aren’t real. We’ve got the physical capacity to get out of bed; all we need is the motivation and encouragement to do so.
Last June, during Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month, my family and friends overwhelmed me with their support. From the MG apparel, the bracelets and donations to MGFA, they showed me that it’s worth fighting; it’s worth getting out of bed. People I hadn’t seen in years proudly displayed their MG bracelets to let me know they were fighting for me. How could I possibly let them down after all that? I can’t!
They encourage me. They give me reason to fight. They give me a reason to get out of bed. That’s what encouragement is all about.
So, you have MG. What are you going to tell all those people who are encouraging you? You better be telling them “Thank You” and show them that you care about them just as much as they care about you.
They have other things going on in their lives they could be focusing on rather than spending time trying to help and encourage you. They chose you. Think about that for a minute. They chose you. You owe them to put up a good fight. You owe them to get out of bed.
So, you have MG? What are you going to do to encourage others? Your responsibilities don’t stop with your diagnosis. If anything, they expand. You have an obligation to help and encourage others who are going through similar circumstances. You have a responsibility to help others fight for themselves. You have a duty to be an inspiration.
Too much responsibility? Is it really? You may not realize it, but by encouraging and helping others, you’re helping yourself. Instead of dwelling on your own aches and pains, you’re thinking about how you can help others with theirs.
Why do you think I write this blog? Sure, it’s to help others, but there’s a selfish aspect, as well. When I’m encouraging others, I don’t have time for my own pity parties. I don’t have time to be a victim. I don’t have time to debate getting out of bed. I have a purpose. That purpose keeps me going and it makes me stronger.
I’m not the best blog writer on the internet, but if I help even one person, then it’s all worthwhile. I’ve received validation that I’ve helped. I get comments and emails from people all the time telling me my blogs made a difference and they enjoy reading them. That makes me want to do more. That makes me want to touch even more lives. That’s the encouragement I need to keep going.
I’m not saying you need to write a blog. I’m saying find your encouragement and let it inspire you to help someone else.
Encouragement creates a circle. When you encourage someone, you inspire them. When they become inspired, you become encouraged.
Find someone you can encourage.