At times, we all tend to think too much about what’s wrong with us, what’s not working in our lives, how we don’t feel well and what we are missing out on because of our illness or disability. Did you ever think about the other side… the bright side? It is not easy when you don’t feel well or are feeling defeated by your lack of health and wellness. I can tell you that I don’t much like being around positive people sometimes they really annoy me to be honest! I want to tell you about part 4 of the NIWH course I took with Dr. Bernie Siegel. It is eye opening, and as always, a positive boost for those of us who can’t seem to get out of our own way and are stuck in negative thought patterns. Take a look and challenge yourself to consider the following benefits that can come out of not feeling well.
10 Positive Benefits of Illness
* Greater self awareness– you may become more in touch with your mind and body and start to realize that what you do and say and how you live does have an impact on your physical health.
* Experience personal truths– illness may help you to figure out what’s important to you and what is a waste of your time.
* Transcendent experience of pain– feeling pain puts things into perspective and helps you to be grateful for your health.
* Confront fear and death– it helps you to face your fears of death and maybe realize you haven’t really been living life as you could be.
* Address personal needs– sometimes it takes an illness to make someone take better care of themselves and make their health a priority.
* Creates opportunity to say no to what you do not want in your life and yes to what you do.
* Explore spiritual and world view– makes you focus on what you believe spiritually and perhaps become closer to God and feel more at peace.
* Flee from disease to health- may help you to know that you have control over your health and can make lifestyle changes to improve your chances of living a long healthy life.
* Experience the futility of sickness– being vulnerable is a good way to teach us that life is precious and not to take advantage of it.
* Learn to do what makes you happy– don’t let others have power over your decisions and learn that you can do what you want and make your own destiny.
Siegel, B. Living With NIWH media course. Retrieved from http://ww.classroom.wholepersonhealthcare.org
My top three from the above list that I work on:
* Being vulnerable to others to help me in my times of need (not easy for me!)
* Getting closer to God to lean on for support and comfort and continuing to have faith that I will get better.
* Trying to live in the moments I do feel good and being grateful for all that God has blessed me with. Please comment below and let me know what you will work on.
Stay tuned for next weeks post discussing the last part of the Living with Illness course and discover helpful tips on how we can be a part of our own healing process. Much love to you always!
Maria
I tend to be an optimist, but when I find myself feeling dark or unhappy, and have learned that when I fill my heart with gratitude, rather than thinking about the things that are “wrong” (by my standards) with my life I am in a much better better mood. God blesses a grateful heart, with contentedness even if it not with the things we want!