When I was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome, I thought my autoimmune disease would be my greatest weakness.
Up until that point, I had always been able to “fix” what I thought was broken.
Whether that meant going on a restrictive diet or an excessive exercise routine, I did what I thought I needed to do in order to be healthy. And, it’s a good chance that you’ve been there too.
Which is why I know that the feelings I had around my autoimmune condition weren’t in my head. They were real and impacted how I was able to show up as a health coach.
No matter how much I knew that I knew my stuff, I wondered what others would think:
Would they question my authority?
What would happen if I got sicker?
Could I really talk about “health” with a condition that has no cure?
There were so many thoughts swirling around in my head at the time, but there also were answers too.
They might question my authority, and that is okay. Because I questioned it too until I found other health coaches who were thriving in life and in their business despite their autoimmune conditions. Honestly, their conditions were the reason they showed up on their terms and were unapologetic about their boundaries.
If I did get sicker, it didn’t mean I wasn’t trying hard enough, but that I needed to prioritize my rest. Being able to see other health coaches demonstrate what it looks like to take time off allowed me to see that it was possible for me too.
And, sharing my lived experience demonstrated I wasn’t just speaking from theory. Being able to connect with the autoimmune community has allowed me to feel seen, heard, and understood. Not everyone gets what this experience looks like in real life, and being able to share that with others ensures they don’t feel alone.
But, enough about me…. I have a question for you:
What is an area of weakness that in hindsight is one of your greatest strengths? If you feel comfortable, let us know below.
That’s all I have for now. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in our next video.
