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What’s the gap between the life you live now and the life you could be living; the life that would support and nourish you in all the ways you need and fulfil you in the ways you know are possible?

A huge part of that answer will be ‘because I can’t’.  It’ll circle around the belief that that kind of life just isn’t possible for you because of your chronic illness.

Hear this: this belief of can’t, isn’t another stick to beat yourself with.  Please don’t chastise yourself for having these thoughts.  That general message of ‘can’t because chronic illness’ is fed to us from all directions.  It’s what fuels so many industries.  It’s what underpins the classic ‘you can only be happy and live the life you want when you’re healed from chronic illness’ message.  

Acknowledge this; the belief that you can’t, is only one half of the story.  The other half is the belief that you can; you being here tells me that.

Belief in self is entangled in the bigger picture of your sense of self, and we’ll be working through that as the weeks progress…

But for today, we’re focussing on this; if you believed anything was possible for you, if you trusted in the wisdom of your chronic illness, how would tomorrow look different to today?

I want you to start looking at your chronic illness, not as the thing that stops you from living the life you want to live, but as the thing that guides you towards it.  Because, if you allow it to, it will create a very bespoke map that guides you in the direction you were always meant to go.

If you step outside of the common chronic illness narrative, the one that you see and hear all over the place that makes you feel othered and unworthy, you might even be able to see your chronic illness as a gift; like a super intuitive, super wise power, here to make your life easier, more enjoyable, more fulfilling, more nourishing…more of what you need and want it to be…if only you're able to truly listen to what it has to say.

Journal prompts.

• If you believed anything was possible for you, if you trusted in the wisdom of your chronic illness, how would tomorrow look different to today?

• What in your life feels like you’re swimming against the tide?  Think about what feels difficult, what feels not worth it, what do you know triggers your chronic illness, what do you do and then regret afterwards…

• What do you need/want more of?  What do you get the nudge to do, but think…but I can’t!  Or the things you’re desperate to do, but think…’that’s not possible for a person like me.’

• What’s already in your life and feels like just the tonic you need?  Think about the things you look forward to, the things that fill your cup, the things that bring flow.

• What’s the dream?  What’s the vision of your life that comes with the line ‘everything would feel better/be OK if it were for this?’  (I’m defo not supporting delayed gratification or the thens and the whens here, but it’s really useful to tune into these thoughts to cut through the crap and get to the bottom of what you really desire.

Keep these answers handy for next session.