I bet when you saw the title of this blog, you thought we were going to talk about the hardest part about having Myasthenia Gravis. That would probably be a good topic, but therein lies the hardest part….MG is different for everyone. What may be the hardest part about having MG for me may not be the hardest part for you and vice versa. No, today we’re going to talk about the hardest part in everyone’s life, getting started, and then show how that relates to those with Myasthenia Gravis.
One of my blogs was recently featured in a magazine. In addition to writing blogs, I’ve written a few books, so when they contacted me to ask if they could use my blog, the discussion drifted to more of an interview. They asked several questions about how I became interested in writing and how I got started.
One of the questions they asked was, “What’s the toughest part about writing?” I’ve been asked this question before, so my response was pretty much already prepared. I responded that the toughest part about writing is getting started. I’ve always had a lot of thoughts and ideas rolling around in my head, but getting those thoughts onto paper or into a computer is often quite difficult. I come up with every excuse and reason not to write them down. I’m too busy. No one will read them. My opinion doesn’t matter anyhow. With all those excuses running around in my head, it’s easy to just ignore the urge to write or to procrastinate about turning my thoughts into a literary form.
After I had answered this question for the very first time, I realized that wasn’t just the hardest part about writing; it was the hardest part about everything we do in life. We sometimes have some pretty amazing ideas, but those ideas really don’t count unless we do something with them. Getting started doing something with them quickly becomes our biggest challenge.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a big thing or a little thing, everything starts with a first step. The key is how much we want that first step to happen. Think of a child taking his or her first steps. It’s scary! They could fall. They could hurt themselves. Taking those first steps, however, starts a process that leads to being able to walk, run and be mobile. For that child, their life begins to change immensely. They’re no longer limited to the immediate space around them; they are opened up into the world.
I always get a kick out of watching parents chasing toddlers around. Being good parents, they don’t want their child to get hurt, so in an uncomfortable stooped position, they run around behind their child ready to catch them should they look like they’re going to fall or protect them from a danger the child doesn’t yet recognize. That child’s whole life changed because they took their first steps – they got started walking.
The same holds true for all people. The first steps of anything we face can be scary. We have all kinds of doubts as we’re unsure of the unknown, but without those first steps, we’re limiting our world and our exposure to it.
Convincing ourselves to get started on something isn’t easy. We usually end up playing the pros versus cons game. We weigh the benefits against the risks. That’s probably prudent. Where we get into trouble is by limiting our exposure because we’re reluctant or scared. Like a child learning to walk, a whole new world might be awaiting us if we’re willing to take the chance.
Probably the best way to overcome this fear is with baby steps. Move cautiously, but get started. Sometimes we have to brace ourselves like a child as they begin to walk, but eventually we have to let go of our supports and start walking.
Some of us have Myasthenia Gravis. The question becomes, “What are we going to do with it?” Are we going to let it take over our lives and control our every step or are we going to take control and push on in spite of it? To take control, what are we going to do to fight?
There are actually several things we can do. First off, we can decide to take care of ourselves. That means taking our medicines as prescribed, eating properly, exercising, and getting plenty of rest. Start with that. All of those things are within your control. It’s so easy to become a victim and ignore those important responsibilities, but a child who has no desire to walk sees only the world immediately surrounding them. If you decide to take control of your life by taking care of yourself, you’ve already accomplished your first steps.
What lies beyond that? That’s where the entire world opens up to you. You can choose to be a ray of sunshine toward everyone you meet, so much so that people love to be around you. That starts with those first steps. You can choose to help others. That starts with those first steps. You can choose to be an advocate for MG, instead of a victim of MG. That starts with those first steps.
Tomorrow is June 1, the start of Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month. There’s no better time to open up new worlds than right now. Tackle the hardest challenge in your life by taking those first steps….getting started. Wear your MG t-shirts and bracelets. Use them as a starting point towards advocacy as people ask you questions about MG. Reach out to others and spread the word. Volunteer. Write. Speak. Get involved. I think you’ll truly be amazed how your efforts to advocate for MG will change your outlook and your life.
The hardest part about any job is getting started. Start tomorrow. Take those first steps. Do something impactful. There’s an entire world out there just waiting for you.