Welcome to the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge brought together by WEGO Health – a social network for all health activists. Again, I am participating in the annual Writer’s Month Challenge in which I will be writing about my health activism and health condition based on given prompts.
Wednesday 15th April: Get Excited!
What revs up your internal engine? When you see, hear, feel this it gets you excited and ready to face what comes next. Tell us what it is!
In my recent experiences with dealing with severe and debilitating symptoms due to chronic illness, it is often very difficult to get excited about anything.
In the mornings, experiencing severe symptoms such as dizziness, pain, nausea and trembling, it is often a struggle to get through the day with enthusiasm and joy.
Recently, however, I have joined several groups through the internet, where you can meet and become pen pals with other people. A couple of these groups are especially for those living chronic illnesses, or other long-term health conditions.
It is lovely receiving small gifts, or letters through the letterbox especially when they arrive unexpectedly. Reading positive, inspiring and motivational words from others can be a real boost to start the day, especially on the days which are particularly bad. These words are especially special and meaningful when they come from other people also living with chronic illness and therefore can understand the challenges and difficulties that I face living with a neurological condition.
Receiving cards and letters are much more personal than emails for example and are lovely to keep and look back on when we really are in need of a lift or a reminder of everything good.
Writing and keeping in contact with other people also allows me a connection to the outside world and as a way of making new and maintaining existing friendships, as the severity of the symptoms I live with keeps me in the house a lot of the time, and as I am unable to get out of the house unless I am accompanied by another person.
It is not just receiving cards and letters that evokes happiness. It is also writing and sending cards and letters to others that brings me joy and happiness; the thought that the cards and words that I write will cheer up and help somebody else is also pretty exciting!
