Chronic illnesses are complicated to manage and frequently have challenging symptoms. In addition to dealing with symptoms such as fatigue or pain, there is always the uncertainty of what your condition will do next. It can feel like wearing a blindfold while riding a roller coaster, so you never know what’s around the curve. Yet, despite all issues that may come with chronic illnesses, it is possible to grow and nurture happiness in your life.
Our four tips for cultivating happiness with a chronic illness
Seeking Support Systems
Chronic illnesses can make you feel alone or isolated. Sometimes they make you cancel plans at the last minute or have to say no to certain events. A good support system not only helps you not feel alone but also provides you with tools and opportunities to have a happier and healthier life. Finding support may seem difficult at first, but it is not impossible. Besides reaching out to organizations for your specific condition, social media and coaching are excellent sources of support.
Finding Fun and New Things to Enjoy
One of the most challenging things about chronic conditions is how they change so much of your life, including not being able to do the same things you used to do. Fun things aren’t reserved for healthy people. Finding fun things or new things that capture your attention is a journey. This is a journey that can provide you with purpose and enjoyment along the way. When you do things that make you happy or provide a sense of purpose, you also reduce your stress. Reducing stress is always good for both chronic illnesses and overall wellness.
Gaining a Growth Mindset
Anyone can have a growth mindset when they are open to seeing new perspectives and willing to learn. Growth mindsets challenge the belief that people are born with a set level of intelligence and skills. People with growth mindsets have a more positive outlook and are generally happier. The good news is that any one of us can gain one of these mindsets. If you are interested in learning more, send us a message.
Dropping Down Occasionally
Happiness is not a constant; it is something that requires work and changes depending upon circumstances. Trying to fake it when you aren’t feeling happy does more harm than good. Having down moments is part of life. By allowing yourself to drop into these moments, you are growing your emotional wellness and avoiding the temptation to create unrealistic expectations about how your life should be. It is important to remember no one is happy all time, every day. We all have moments when we feel down, and that’s okay.
Where do we go from here?
Finding happiness when you are chronically ill is not impossible; it is essential to your overall health and wellness. It may take more time or work to achieve happiness with your condition. Still, when you have the right support and mindset and take time to enjoy the little things, you are well on your way to unlocking your happiness. It is important to avoid having unrealistic expectations and allow yourself to feel or have down days while cultivating happiness. It may take some flexibility, but you can achieve happiness while living with chronic illness.
At Supportegy, we know the challenges of living with chronic conditions. We know how lonely and isolating it can feel. We’ve also wondered if we’d ever laugh again. We’ve found our way through to the other side and know that you can live beyond chronic illness, gaining a meaning-filled life with support that reshapes your world. We use science-backed approaches with practical applications when working with our clients. If you need help cultivating happiness or gaining a growth mindset, let’s connect and get you back to living life beyond chronic illness. Supportegy Wellness provides chronic illness support through various proven ways, including chronic illness support groups.