What Does #iAmVisible Even Mean?

The Signature hashtag for Spoonie Essentials Box was initially inspired by my desire to explain quickly what it felt like living with Chronic Illness. I always felt I had to add, "my illness is invisible, I'm not" in every conversation with doctors, counselors, friends or family.

I knew it was challenging for people to understand that I was battling with things they could not see on the outside. The more pressing matter on my heart, was making sure that they understood that I was aware of the things I needed to do to "manage" my illness, but they were missing that I was a person too. I had feelings, I had a personality, I had a life outside of my illness. I was a person living with illness. Person, being the part everyone seemed to be missing.

When I talked to members of the #SEBfamily I found that many of them experienced this too. So I felt like, we collectively and without words, all agreed that it was the best way to communicate that. But soon I started to see members of the #SEBfamily use the #iAMVisible hashtag in their captions, of pictures of them doing things they hadn't done before. Videos of young girls taking care of themselves because "Spoonie Essentials Box said self-care wasn't selfish". Members unboxing their goodies talking about how they "would have never thought to buy this or that item for themselves". All with the #iAmVisible hashtag.

That's when I knew it was so much more than explaining what it was like living with a chronic-illness. It was our motto, our creed. The #SEBfamily had made the Spoonie Essentials signature hashtag into so much than an explanation.

It is our daily mantra to ourselves. If you're not sure of the words, I want to type them all out for you. So you can remind yourself. When you ask yourself what does it mean to be apart of the Spoonie Essentials Box Family, I want you to know that being a member of our family means we will be with you during your journey. You are never alone, and the journey to your happiest, healthiest, best life begins with you.

Say this to yourself everyday, I made it into a screen saver so it can be visible to you regularly.
See it. Say it. Do it. Believe it. Because you are visible, you matter, and know that I know the road we have to take is different. But the happiest, healthiest, best life you ever lived is a lifestyle, not just a hashtag. Your life is what you get when you're born, living is what you do with it!

xo britt

_____________________

#iAmVisible

• My illness does not define me,
• I DEFINE ME, FOR ME!
• 
  
• When my life is hard, 
• I NEVER GIVE UP! 
• 
  
• When most people would give up, 
• I NEVER SURRENDER! 
• 
  
• My self care is a top priority, 
• I DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR ME!
• 
  
• No matter what life throws at me, 
• I SPREAD LOVE AS THICK
• AS PEANUT BUTTER! 
• 
  
• My life, My health, 
• My happiness, 
• My care is
• MY CHOICE! 
• 
  
• I will love me, all of me;
• 24/7, 365 DAYS A YEAR WITH
•  #NODAYSOFF!
• 
  
• I have an illness that is invisible, 
• I AM NOT. I AM VISIBLE. 
• 
  
• No, it’s not just a shirt! It's not just a hashtag,
•  IT'S MY WAY OF LIFE!!!