Can I Tell You How I Started Living My Best Life?
Natalie, Uncharegables CEO & I. Canary Islands, Spain
At some point during my chronic illness experience I realized my only goal had become too “just feel even a little bit better”. I was frustrated. I felt stuck. I was “sick of being sick and tired”. I hated not being able to eat anything that tasted 'good'. I found out the really hard way I was deathly allergic to Sulfa and most chemicals, so I was terrified of using anything on my body after my skin healed from my DRESS flare. I was inside a room with no view almost everyday, hardly ever leaving the house. Frankly, there was nothing about my life that I really enjoyed, it was all "necessary regiments for my health". All I wanted was too wake up every day and feel okay, for once!
"When I really thought about it, all I really wanted was to wake up everyday and be okay with me. Even the parts that I hated, like trolling the internet for hours a day before buying body wash. Or second guessing a new ingredient 8 times before actually trying it. I wanted so desperately to be in a space of loving myself, all of myself and really being ok with whatever that looked like. I wanted to love myself so much that I was at peace with the aspects of my health I couldn’t control but still honestly say I was doing everything in my power to be the best me I could be. Living the best version of the chronic illness experience, as best I could. I wanted that, but I didn’t know how to get it".
Once I got in the mindset of trying to take better care of myself, I found out how expensive most mainstream examples of “healthy” really were when you spend a majority of your income on medicine. Actually trying to “take care of yourself” feels like a luxury. Like “well damn, there goes that Idea I thought. How could I afford to try all this stuff? Where can I find healthy food that taste good and was actually doable price wise?"
But lucky for me one of the symptoms of my illnesses is insomnia, I sincerely mean that. When I stayed up all night I passed the time searching the Internet for everything I could find that might make me feel better. I mean let’s be candid, I didn’t even really feel like I knew how to “better” take care of myself. What does that even look like when you live your life on a student budget in Southern California?
So I spent hours upon hours, easily 1000's, looking up “what is and isn’t” good for my chronic illnesses, what were other ways to help myself feel better overall, what else was there available to me in addition to following my team of doctors advice to the letter.
I felt silly for even trying to take "better" care of myself and having the nerve to google it. I struggled with feeling guilty for taking care of me when it meant “slacking” in other areas of life. I didn’t know where to begin to look for “good products” that weren’t expensive, or how to figure out “what’s the best way to take care of myself”? Shouldn’t I know this? I’m an adult after all, I thought. But I didn’t let that stop me. I did not allow my fear and lack of knowledge keep me from trying. I kept buying things. I kept reading things. I spent more time with myself. I made the most of staying in by trolling Pinterest for staying in aka "staycation" activities for when I was home alone and when my beau came over. I never gave up, and I never surrendered to my fears.
As I began learning what taking care of myself really meant, I found products I could actually use (and afford) that didn’t have all this stuff in it I couldn't have. I was enjoying “experiencing” things while undergoing chemotherapy but it didn't start that way. At first I hated being inside all the time, but my amazing beau and creative imagination really shifted how I used all that time I spent at home. In learning what was available to me to take better care of myself, I found myself an expert on all sorts of gadgets, gismos, foods, and experiences that were the best and newest things on the market.
Eventually during my last stay in the hospital, the self-care packages I received from my friends tailored to my "unique" needs, really inspired me to want to share my idea— learning and trying for yourself the different tools and resources of Self-Care; is the secret to the road to self discovery and health. Knowing what works best for you, knowing your options, and using them to live the happiest, healthiest, best version of your life possible—with every Chronic Illness Fighter in the world because it literally changed my life!
I realized the power in taking better care of myself. After awhile I looked up and I was feeling better. I won't sell you any dreams, I'm not cured, but I began sincerely feeling better about every aspect of my life. It’s kind of like the saying “time flies when you’re having fun”, you don’t realize how long it’s been or what’s happening because you’re so busy enjoying yourself. That’s what it felt like. I didn’t even realize it was happening until it already happened!
I found a new appreciation for the fact that the products I use for and in my body are incredibly important in taking the best care of me possible. What I eat, the things I learn from experiences I do or don’t try, exercising my mind, the positive affirmations I surround myself with, the way I think, what I read—all are among things that brought me too living a happier, healthier, better version of my life.
There are so many varying factors that limit Chronic Illness Fighters, like you & I's ability to take real care of ourselves that are out of our control and not our fault. I created Spoonie Essentials box to eliminate the 1000's of hours on the internet and year long experimental work any one person would have to do on their own by putting it in a box! But whether you subscribe to Spoonie Essentials of not, know that living your best life starts with you.
After I tried enough things and realized how many experiences I had while being on a home-staycation, it hit me. I could do this, like really do it. I could live my best life, I just needed to figure out the right combinations of things to do it. I knew where to look, I knew what to look for, I'd read data on so many gizmos I knew what was gimmicky and what had real potential. After that moment, it all became so much easier. Taking better care of me transformed me into a better version of me. It is that simple. I just looked up one day and it was all clicking. I was loving every second of my life. Taking the time trying to figure out what I needed to feel better was the best thing to ever happen to me.
I learned the destination is just as important as the journey. I know there are 1000's of different invisible chronic illnesses and they affect each and every one of us differently, but once you know how to navigate the road to self discovery and better health, it is so much easier to help others find their way. Self-care is not selfish. Life is what you were born with, but living it, is what you choose to do with it!
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| Natalie, Uncharegables CEO & I. Canary Islands, Spain |
At some point during my chronic illness experience I realized my only goal had become too “just feel even a little bit better”. I was frustrated. I felt stuck. I was “sick of being sick and tired”. I hated not being able to eat anything that tasted 'good'. I found out the really hard way I was deathly allergic to Sulfa and most chemicals, so I was terrified of using anything on my body after my skin healed from my DRESS flare. I was inside a room with no view almost everyday, hardly ever leaving the house. Frankly, there was nothing about my life that I really enjoyed, it was all "necessary regiments for my health". All I wanted was too wake up every day and feel okay, for once!
"When I really thought about it, all I really wanted was to wake up everyday and be okay with me. Even the parts that I hated, like trolling the internet for hours a day before buying body wash. Or second guessing a new ingredient 8 times before actually trying it. I wanted so desperately to be in a space of loving myself, all of myself and really being ok with whatever that looked like. I wanted to love myself so much that I was at peace with the aspects of my health I couldn’t control but still honestly say I was doing everything in my power to be the best me I could be. Living the best version of the chronic illness experience, as best I could. I wanted that, but I didn’t know how to get it".
Once I got in the mindset of trying to take better care of myself, I found out how expensive most mainstream examples of “healthy” really were when you spend a majority of your income on medicine. Actually trying to “take care of yourself” feels like a luxury. Like “well damn, there goes that Idea I thought. How could I afford to try all this stuff? Where can I find healthy food that taste good and was actually doable price wise?"
But lucky for me one of the symptoms of my illnesses is insomnia, I sincerely mean that. When I stayed up all night I passed the time searching the Internet for everything I could find that might make me feel better. I mean let’s be candid, I didn’t even really feel like I knew how to “better” take care of myself. What does that even look like when you live your life on a student budget in Southern California?
So I spent hours upon hours, easily 1000's, looking up “what is and isn’t” good for my chronic illnesses, what were other ways to help myself feel better overall, what else was there available to me in addition to following my team of doctors advice to the letter.
I felt silly for even trying to take "better" care of myself and having the nerve to google it. I struggled with feeling guilty for taking care of me when it meant “slacking” in other areas of life. I didn’t know where to begin to look for “good products” that weren’t expensive, or how to figure out “what’s the best way to take care of myself”? Shouldn’t I know this? I’m an adult after all, I thought. But I didn’t let that stop me. I did not allow my fear and lack of knowledge keep me from trying. I kept buying things. I kept reading things. I spent more time with myself. I made the most of staying in by trolling Pinterest for staying in aka "staycation" activities for when I was home alone and when my beau came over. I never gave up, and I never surrendered to my fears.
As I began learning what taking care of myself really meant, I found products I could actually use (and afford) that didn’t have all this stuff in it I couldn't have. I was enjoying “experiencing” things while undergoing chemotherapy but it didn't start that way. At first I hated being inside all the time, but my amazing beau and creative imagination really shifted how I used all that time I spent at home. In learning what was available to me to take better care of myself, I found myself an expert on all sorts of gadgets, gismos, foods, and experiences that were the best and newest things on the market.
Eventually during my last stay in the hospital, the self-care packages I received from my friends tailored to my "unique" needs, really inspired me to want to share my idea— learning and trying for yourself the different tools and resources of Self-Care; is the secret to the road to self discovery and health. Knowing what works best for you, knowing your options, and using them to live the happiest, healthiest, best version of your life possible—with every Chronic Illness Fighter in the world because it literally changed my life!
I realized the power in taking better care of myself. After awhile I looked up and I was feeling better. I won't sell you any dreams, I'm not cured, but I began sincerely feeling better about every aspect of my life. It’s kind of like the saying “time flies when you’re having fun”, you don’t realize how long it’s been or what’s happening because you’re so busy enjoying yourself. That’s what it felt like. I didn’t even realize it was happening until it already happened!
I found a new appreciation for the fact that the products I use for and in my body are incredibly important in taking the best care of me possible. What I eat, the things I learn from experiences I do or don’t try, exercising my mind, the positive affirmations I surround myself with, the way I think, what I read—all are among things that brought me too living a happier, healthier, better version of my life.
There are so many varying factors that limit Chronic Illness Fighters, like you & I's ability to take real care of ourselves that are out of our control and not our fault. I created Spoonie Essentials box to eliminate the 1000's of hours on the internet and year long experimental work any one person would have to do on their own by putting it in a box! But whether you subscribe to Spoonie Essentials of not, know that living your best life starts with you.
After I tried enough things and realized how many experiences I had while being on a home-staycation, it hit me. I could do this, like really do it. I could live my best life, I just needed to figure out the right combinations of things to do it. I knew where to look, I knew what to look for, I'd read data on so many gizmos I knew what was gimmicky and what had real potential. After that moment, it all became so much easier. Taking better care of me transformed me into a better version of me. It is that simple. I just looked up one day and it was all clicking. I was loving every second of my life. Taking the time trying to figure out what I needed to feel better was the best thing to ever happen to me.
I learned the destination is just as important as the journey. I know there are 1000's of different invisible chronic illnesses and they affect each and every one of us differently, but once you know how to navigate the road to self discovery and better health, it is so much easier to help others find their way. Self-care is not selfish. Life is what you were born with, but living it, is what you choose to do with it!
xo britt
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