You can get a copy of the full document, with advice from all 7 writers by signing up for Julie's e-mail at this link.
For a sneak peek, here is the portion that I wrote - Julie sent us all questions and then included some of our answers in the final document. I always enjoy Julie's writing and love that she pulled together such inspiring advice from so many chronic illness writers - there is a wide-range of inspiration here from different perspectives. You can also follow the ME/CFS Self-Help Guru Facebook page - her focus is on self-care and inspiration.
Here's my section:
"In what ways do you consider yourself to be living a great/dream/successful
life?
I have worked relentlessly to improve my condition and quality of life by seeking out treatments for ME/CFS. Some things don't help at all, but through trial and error, I have found lots of treatments that each help a little bit, and those bits have added up to signifi- cant improvement!
With that improvement, I have been able to get back to living my life and working toward my goals. Writing is a big part of my life, and I am living my dream of working as a free- lance writer, and gradually increasing my income to help with our family expenses (including medical expenses).
In addition to career, I make sure that my life includes things that bring me joy: spending time outdoors, traveling (with a camper at our own pace!), spending time with my family, and with my friends. All of these things enrich my life.
What is the most empowering thing you have learned whilst creating your dream life or what one piece of advice would you like to share to inspire oth- ers to create for themselves a great life despite chronic illness?
Never give up on improving your condition. Keep trying new treatments. It often takes a lot of trial and error to find the treatments that work best for each person, but it is well worth the time and effort. Since so few doctors understand how to properly treat ME/ CFS, this means that you have to educate yourself and become your own advocate...and often educate your doctor, too!"
I have worked relentlessly to improve my condition and quality of life by seeking out treatments for ME/CFS. Some things don't help at all, but through trial and error, I have found lots of treatments that each help a little bit, and those bits have added up to signifi- cant improvement!
With that improvement, I have been able to get back to living my life and working toward my goals. Writing is a big part of my life, and I am living my dream of working as a free- lance writer, and gradually increasing my income to help with our family expenses (including medical expenses).
In addition to career, I make sure that my life includes things that bring me joy: spending time outdoors, traveling (with a camper at our own pace!), spending time with my family, and with my friends. All of these things enrich my life.
What is the most empowering thing you have learned whilst creating your dream life or what one piece of advice would you like to share to inspire oth- ers to create for themselves a great life despite chronic illness?
Never give up on improving your condition. Keep trying new treatments. It often takes a lot of trial and error to find the treatments that work best for each person, but it is well worth the time and effort. Since so few doctors understand how to properly treat ME/ CFS, this means that you have to educate yourself and become your own advocate...and often educate your doctor, too!"
Thank you for sharing Sue!
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