08/26/2024
When you hit your 40s, life has a way of showing you what you're made of.
There’s a lot going on—career changes, kids growing up, taking care of aging parents, and let’s not forget about our own bodies changing.
It’s easy to assume every bump in the road is caused by MS.
But here’s the thing: not every challenge is about MS.
A few months ago, I was struggling. I felt fatigued, my mood was all over the place, and I just couldn’t shake that constant feeling of being overwhelmed.
Naturally, my mind went straight to MS. Is a flare up looming?
After some reflection, I realized something important—it wasn’t the MS at all.
It was life.
I was dealing with the emotional weight of midlife changes—my daughter was growing up fast, my career was evolving, and I was navigating the grief of losing my father.
These are challenges any woman in her 40s might face, but because I have MS, I was viewing everything through that lens.
I was missing the bigger picture.
When I took a step back, I realized that it wasn’t just my MS that needed attention. It was my heart, my mind, and my spirit.
We often fall into the trap of blaming MS for everything.
We live with this condition every day, so it’s natural to think it’s the root of every problem.
But sometimes, the fatigue, the mood swings, the stress—they’re not MS symptoms. They’re life symptoms.
When we broaden our lens, we can start to address these challenges in a way that truly supports our well-being.
So, I invite you to take a step back. What’s going on in your life that might need attention? Are there stressors unrelated to MS that could be weighing you down? Are there areas where you need more support, more rest, or even just a change in perspective?
You are more than your MS.
You’re a woman, a mother, a daughter, a friend—and all those roles come with their own set of challenges and joys.
Let’s give ourselves the space to see the whole picture. Because when we do, we empower ourselves to make choices that nourish every part of our lives.