Don't just cope, LIVE

Coping with a chronic condition, owning and loving life no matter the obstacle.

People often ask me how I have managed to cope with everything and still enjoy my life. Because of this, I thought I should share some of my tricks, inspiration, and wisdom.
I am by no means perfect, and I don't always handle things as I should, nor am I always as put together as I'd like people to think. And I sure as hell don't have all the answers. I too, have
moments of weakness, "why me" times, negotiations with my body, and crying jags because I am just so sick of coping, and desperately want to just live.

So here it is...
-Surround yourself with good people. Having family and friends that love you and accept you is invaluable. Don't waste time with people who aren't worth it. The support will create a safety net to protect you from those who cause harm and throw you back up when you fall to the ground.
-Limit how much time you allow yourself to dwell on negative aspects of life.
-Be reasonable with your expectations of others.
-Focus on YOUR normal
-Don't expect to be able to function at everyone else's level, you are unique in every fashion. The sooner you accept this, the better off you'll be.
-Accept what IS, don't waste that precious energy fighting something you can't change.
-Don't fight against the illness, fight FOR yourself, and create a life worth living in spite of the fact that your life CONTAINS it.
-Realize that no matter how hard you try, and how badly people want you to get better, you're not going to by simply trying harder.
-Remember that even if you can't BE well, you can still LIVE well.

And that is all. For now.