After our summer of sadness we're now focusing on the sale of our house. Don't say congratulations! I know you mean well, but as I'm sure the immediate world knows by now (because I talk and write about it ad nauseum) I don't ever want to leave my home.
We're in the throes of looking for a place to live. The rental market is HOT in our area so it's easier said than done. Our days are filled with cleaning closets, donating books and clothing, calling realtors, visiting properties, interviewing movers and hiring contractors to finish up the buyer's punch list.
I'm also trying to keep up with the responsibilities of my job as well as taking care of my family, our fur babies and my MS.
I’m doing my best to gain a healthier perspective about pervasive feelings of sadness. I've never been good with change and we've had more than our share lately. I’m trying to focus on the idea that life unfolds in ways we never imagined. We have to try and lean into the ride, be flexible about our circumstances and accept what is. It's all about letting go and moving on with as much grace and dignity as possible.
I'll let you know how it goes.
I thought I'd offer an update on what I've been working on for the past few months. Writing and helping others is my passion. It's the fuel that keeps me going despite the craziness of the world. I hope you'll take a closer look at whatever strikes your fancy.
As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
Photo Credit: MultipleSclerosis.net
This is my third year as a contributor and moderator for MultipleSclerosis.net, a Health Union platform. I am proud of my association with HU. They are kind and compassionate people who are devoted to giving a voice to those living with health challenges. As a moderator I answer readers' questions - peer-to-peer - on their Facebook page. As a contributor I can choose any topic to write about without editorial control. Here are three of my recent posts:
Five Ways to Help You Battle Stress and Anxiety
Four Ways to Help You Cope with Loss After a Miscarriage
Six Ways to Help You Manage Grief After Losing a Loved One
Photo Credit: mscare.org
It’s a great honor to be the official blogger for The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) whose members provide care for more than 200,000 individuals all over the world.
As their blogger I've been blessed to conduct interviews with CMSC members for my blog, AnEmpoweredSpirit.com, and for MultipleSclerosis.net and The Huffington Post. Take a look at past interviews and stay tuned for more interviews in the coming months.
What is a Rehabilitation Therapist and How Can They Help You?
How a Professor is Using Social Media to Make Healthcare More Accessible
How Yoga Can Transform Your Life One Class at a Time
What Happens When Brilliant Minds Focus on Improving the Quality of Patients’ Lives?
Photo Credit: MangoHealth.com
I've been asked to write several articles for an exciting new app called Mango Health whose aim is to “make it easy and even fun to develop good habits around daily health management.” Aside from their blog Mango offers ways to keep track of medications, record your weight, check your blood pressure and more. Give their app a try!
Check out my published piece for Mango Health, Living with Multiple Sclerosis: 4 Ways My Diagnosis Made Me a Better Person and look for more posts coming this fall.
Photo Credit: The Huffington Post
I'm proud to be a regular contributor to The Huffington Post where I educate readers about what it's like to live with a disability. Two of my recent posts are meaningful to me. If you have a chance please take a look:
How The New York Times is Creating a Compassionate World
How is the Patient Perspective Creating Positive Change?
Photo Credit: msconnection.org
I was asked to write a piece titled How I Use My Voice for Better Patient Care for The National Multiple Sclerosis Society's blog, MS Connection. Using our voices and being active in the international registry,NARCOMS, is what will lead to better research and more effective treatments for MS.
Photo Credit: themighty.com
I've written some pieces for The Mighty, a wonderful new website that helps us "face disability, disease and mental health together." I encourage you to check them out and while you're there here's one of my posts:
How Multiple Sclerosis Helped Me Like Being Different in a World of Copycats
Finally I've been doing my best to write weekly posts here for An Empowered Spirit. I hope you'll check out what I've had to say!
So why the hell should I keep writing? Because what helps YOU in turn helps me. What empowers YOU empowers me. What inspires YOU inspires me. What matters to YOU absolutely matters to me. So I'll keep writing until I can no longer write.
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” ~Charles Dickens
Namaste.